His Own Sick Pride
by TotallyCaptivated
Summary: Immediately following the Avengers Loki is placed into custody. Thor tries to bring back the brother he once knew. That is, of course, if he can before The Chitauri come for Loki.
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer_||Obviously, I don't own anything. Frankly, I don't want to. Everything Marvel has done with this so far has been perfection.

_A/N_: Personally, I am not very well informed with all of the Sciences of Asgard, and the names, and the traditions, so I improvised. Let me know if this sucks. I hope to write more, and I will if enough people want me too.

-Please excuse any grammatical errors. I am so very lazy, and I hate re-reading over something I have just written.

-This is Loki/Thor. Don't like don't read.

-Please review, it would make my day!

* * *

It all passed by in a blur.

A terrible, humiliating, resounding blur.

If Loki could scream he would.

If he could open his mouth _at all_ he would.

Just to say something-_anything_-to stop this moment from swirling out of his control.

Because for a moment there he was in control. He did have the upper hand. New York was crumbling below sea level and he was winning. Unfortunately it was already written from the beginning that he would fail. And fail he did.

Standing so close to his enemy-his once named brother-was nerve-wracking. Loki loathed it. Thor held the Tesseract in his hands, the blue energy contained and safe in the thunderer's hold. But Loki was able to ignore Thor's deep blue gaze, his hard set jaw, and his vibrant red cape that clashed even with his own. Green and red always clashed. It's how it's inscribed in nature.

His wrists were cold, bound, by a thick sterling metal. It made is skin crawl and his arms numb. It sealed everything that was his away. His magic withheld. The metal that bound his mouth, sealed his lips, was worse. Heavier, to say the least. It made him bow his head. That, alone, was enough to make him want to curl up into himself and disappear.

It would be better for everyone wouldn't it? If he were to cease to exist? He believed it would, so wasn't that enough?

The bridge was still destroyed; the rainbow swirls of sparkling energy had faded to a dull grey. Boring…like ice. He felt a pang crack in his stoned heart. He could hear the voices before they had even stepped back fully on the once destroyed attachment to the Bifrost.

Shouts, contained but still loud enough to carry hauntingly on the wind. All of the Asgardians who were angry were allowed to voice their arrogance here. He wasn't even aware of his hesitation until Thor pulled tightly at his elbow, urging him silently on.

Loki still didn't meet Thor's gaze.

He only willed his mind to shut down and his feet to move. And move they did. Slowly, of course, but they did shuffle on the shattered remains beneath them.

The voices seemed to die down as they approached, Thor holding his head high, resembling the very image of the king he was. And Loki felt the all-too-familiar hate and envy bubble up inside him once more.

Whereas Thor could lift his head tall the metal clasped around his jaw enabled him from even looking up. He grinned, a sick small quirk of the lips, knowing no one could see. Ironic, how subtlety they choose to degrade him.

At first, anyway.

Three guards joined Thor's stride, two standing on either side of Loki, one behind. Immediately he felt suffocated. At least while he stood beside Thor he could breathe some. Between the hot metal of the guards and the heavy perfumed scent of Asgard he found it rather difficult to do even that. Thickly, he breathed the dense air through his nose. He felt Thor's blue gaze on him again. And everything tensed as crumbled bridge turned to marble, as the walls of the palace court rose tall, gold, and menacing about them.

Loki felt like an ant.

The guard's hands tightened on their weapons as the faces of hundreds of Asgardians roared into clear view. Suddenly Loki was reminded of how much he despised these pretentious "gods".

Even the children were grimacing, flinching back behind their mother's legs. Occasionally there were slurs of his name; the mis-use of his nickname "silver-tongue" made him flinch involuntarily.

There was one man though, who stood tall and dark in the crowd. If Loki's head wasn't pulled down perhaps he would have moved in time.

At first there was only a shaking in his vision. Then the pounding of his temple and, of course, the unmistakable wetness of blood. He could feel it trickle down his cheek, slip over the metal of the gag. Some went up his nose.

"Look! **It** bleeds red!" There was laughter at the adolescent jeer and he felt another pointed jab, sharper now, against the shell of his ear.

Again, the wet red flowed. The guards didn't move, they barely flinched and when the third rock hit, about the size of a plum, hard against Loki's neck, it wasn't the guard's that caught him from falling but Thor's.

In that instant, in that moment when the king's hand wrapped around the arms of a criminal punishable by death did the crowd freeze.

They grew still, shockingly quiet and it was only then when Loki was still tilted to the left that he realized Odin and Frigga were at the front of the large doors before them. They stood, tall, unblinking. Thor righted Loki again and his dulled green eyes fell to the marble once more. Thor's fingers tensed around his bicep, clutching through the leather until it hurt, and his azure eyes scanned the crowd with unparallel fury. He said nothing but everything in that moment of dense silence. His grip was bruising and his nails asked the question he longed to voice:

_"Can you walk straight?"_

Immediately Loki flinched away. Almost as suddenly did he loose his balance. He didn't fall, no, he'd be damned if he did, but he swayed nonetheless and had Thor catch him up again.

Only this time Thor didn't wait for Loki to get his bearings. He just pulled him straight through, too quick for Loki's slurred pace, and at least two more stones fell upon his raven hair before the doors behind Odin and Frigga pulled apart and the two gods stumbled into the safe confines of the sealed away palace. Loki jerked out of Thor's grip, missing the nostalgic warmth of his brother's skin.

He felt sick at himself. His head was throbbing and the butt end of a guard's spear hit his back to straighten him. The anger fueled in him like a fire. He could feel Odin's gaze, the emotionless mask that made him feel all the more alienated, all the more unloved. But Frigga-dear Frigga-looked back with tears overflowing and despair etched deep. It was that look that almost succeeded in making Loki crumble.

The Warriors Three stood far off, tense and with an air of disbelief by the doors leading into the main hall. Loki could only really see Sif, who shifted with angered anxiety under his glare. He didn't wish to see anymore. He wished to have gone blind. All the more so when Thor stepped in front of him, stopping the guard's from pushing him forward further.

It was Thor's eyes, Loki decided, that made one of his walls fall down. He could feel it, the emotion in his own eyes because at that moment of weakness Thor's face broke.

It melted into the most lost, most desperate expression Loki had ever seen. Pathetic, was a word he longed to use but he couldn't very well find the heart to even think it.

Because Thor's blue eyes were staggering and when the soon-to-be king reached up to wipe away the red covering Loki's brow the God of Mischief felt something he hadn't felt in a very, _very_ long time.

He felt a stirring in his heart, a small flittering of regret, of truth, of longing.

"Loki…" It was all Thor managed to say. Odin stepped forward to tear Thor away Loki's heart turned cold once more. The guard's pushed him forward and all he could do was obey.

He could still feel the piercing depths of Thor's gaze, even when the gates swung closed behind them.

* * *

Liked it? Hated it?

I would love (NICE) feedback, (CONSTRUCTIVE) criticism.

Thank you for reading!


	2. Chapter 2

_Disclaimer_||Obviously, I don't own anything. Frankly, I don't want to. Everything Marvel has done with this so far has been perfection.

_A/N_: Personally, I am not very well informed with all of the Sciences of Asgard, and the names, and the traditions, so I improvised. Let me know if this sucks. I hope to write more, and I will if enough people want me too.

-Please excuse any grammatical errors. I am so very lazy, and I hate re-reading over something I have just written.

-This is Loki/Thor. Don't like don't read.

-Please review, it would make my day!

* * *

It was twelve feet across and sixteen high.

The guard's spear pierced Loki forward and the broken god obliged. Slowly, because he had never seen a cell like this before, he stepped through the milky white screen that laced between the squares of the bars. Almost immediately he dropped to his knees. There was a strange sensation, an abrupt tingling of little pricks and needles.

It was the feeling that crawled over his hands only it had spread through out his whole body. He couldn't help but let out a shaky breath. Slowly, he turned his head to gaze at Odin. The All Father was standing just outside the barrier and the bars, eye trained on Loki's biting gaze. The guard's turned a lever and the bars seemed to tense in place. So that's how they locked it.

"It will seal your powers-your magic-away." Loki kept his gaze level with Odin's. "Your powers shall be sealed and will eventually take leave of you. We are assured that it will only take a couple of weeks." Loki's heart seemed to stutter for a moment, forgetting how to beat. Take away his magic? The only thing that had allowed him to think just a little bit better of himself because even Thor couldn't perform it?

He felt sick.

Oh, how Loki longed to speak! How he ached to say a word, just one. His jaw already felt unbearably sore from the added weight of the gag. But he looked closer to study Odin's hands, the way they seemed to carry a few more wrinkles, the way his "father" shifted some on his feet. How long would it take?

The raven-haired god wondered, how long would it take for you to finally snap? To finally and efficiently punish me?

Because in this moment, in this instance, the only emotion the All Father reads is unwavering guilty regret. Odin seems to notice Loki's thoughts, and he gives one final look before turning and departing, and all Loki can do is listen to the sound of his resounding footsteps in the stone corridor.

Funny, how he never said what Loki's ultimate punishment would be.

* * *

The room was utterly silent.

The air was thick and suffocating.

Thor's chest seemed abnormally tight, his throat dry and his heart pounded like a drum against his ribs.

His mind was slowly beginning to process Odin's words and the longer he stood frozen the more real this situation became.

"Execute him?" It was Frigga's words that cut through the air first, and Odin's grip tightened some on his spear. His wife's words were wavering, the tears and grief and absolute devastation in her countenance were true proof of unhidden love.

"You would have him killed?" Her voice took on a slightly hysteric edge and Odin's gaze turned roughly down upon her.

"What would you have me do?" He questioned, eye darting between both his wife and son. Thor could only watch the exchange with a muted tongue. Everything seemed to be moving as though it was underwater. "He's nearly destroyed two races, he is not sane, not well, and he will only get worse-"

"He will not have the chance at getting better if he is dead!" Frigga's words cut like steel through their hearts and Thor only managed to get in a staggering intake of breath before he swayed slightly on his feet. The emotions that were coursing through him were ones he had never felt before, and combined they made a dizzying combination. Odin's gaze hardened and for a moment only Frigga's silent gasps of tears could be heard.

"Your emotion clouds your better judgment. Perhaps it is best if you return to your chambers." It wasn't a question and so with a staggering nod Frigga left the gold circular room and let the heavy wooden door swing shut behind her. Now only father and son remained, but the wasting words still did not depart. It seemed like an eternity before Thor was able to move his lips, let his tongue rise up and for his mind to form the words.

"I believe mother is right." Odin remained silent and Thor let his head rise up, silently willing his growing frustrated desperation down. "Loki is lost, and if we can find some way to help him then-"

"If Loki was not your brother wouldn't you want him dead?" Thor faltered in his speak; instead his body chose to froze in unparalleled shock. "If Loki was a prisoner who had committed these crimes there would be no hesitation in his demise. What use do we have in hesitating also?"

"He is your son." Thor flinched at how his voice cracked. Everything about him felt hollow. He felt so cold…so lost…was this how Loki felt? Feels? If so it is a horrible feeling, one he would like to erase for all the years to come.

"He _was_ my son. Now he is a prisoner and a murderer, and a threat to the peace of two realms." Thor couldn't find the strength to answer. He felt the all-too familiar hot of anger, the pulsing in his temples, and tingling of his hands. He gritted his teeth and clinched his hands in hope of swallowing the emotion down. He felt like he was drowning.

"There could still be a chance, a chance for him to redeem-"

"You are only talking on the heat of emotion." Odin's voice was a monochrome whisper and for some inexplicable reason that's what made Thor snap.

"You can't kill him if we can save him! If there is still hope then why not head for it? Why take the easy way out?"

"There is no easy way out! Know your place, Thor, and make sure the next words you speak are ones of truth." But the thunderer couldn't bring himself to stay. He couldn't. So he propelled himself toward the door, following the same footmarks of his mother, before he stopped and turned once more.

"Which cell is Loki held in?"

* * *

I am so surprised by the number of reviews this story has already received! I mean WOW. Thank you all so much! :D

Liked it? Hated it?

I would love (NICE) feedback, (CONSTRUCTIVE) criticism.

Thank you for reading! (:


	3. Chapter 3

_Disclaimer_||Obviously, I don't own anything. Frankly, I don't want to. Everything Marvel has done with this so far has been perfection.

_A/N_: Personally, I am not very well informed with all of the Sciences of Asgard, and the names, and the traditions, so I improvised.

-Please excuse any grammatical errors.

-This is Loki/Thor. Don't like don't read.

-Please review, it would make my day!

* * *

_ Small._

He felt small.

Slowly he let his back relax against the cold stones behind him. His body still tingled, from head to foot, but he recently discovered that if he focused his mind on counting the cracks in the ceiling that the prickly sensation dulled. So far, there were nineteen hundred and twenty three imperfections just above his forehead. Twenty-four now.

In the back of his mind he wished he were dead. He wished that when he let go of everything on the Rainbow Bridge that he had died.

That would have been easier than this.

Than going through all of this. Because honestly the frustration and humiliation of complete defeat was worse than dying betrayed in space. He slammed his head back.

His vision swam as he re-opened the wound on the back of his head. The blood was hot as it dripped down the back of his neck, beneath the covers of his emerald green tunic, although, because of the blood and dirt caked into the fabric, it was more of a dark brown now. Again he jerked his head back, and yet again the room spun and his head fell forward, his forehead throbbing against his knees.

A choked sob escaped his chapped lips. Bleed. Let me bleed to death. Let me die here. Let me go before I loose my mind.

It was wishful thinking, he knew, and vaguely he wished his wrists weren't still bound, but at least they had removed the gag to give him water. They had just forgotten to put it back on.

It sat tauntingly in the guard's hand on the free side of his cell. His jaw ached. Everything ached. He could feel the tears, hot and persistent pushing through. He clenched his eyes shut. What good would crying do?

"Loki." His heart burned hot and his throat clenched and his head swam even more as his name was whispered across the stone. He let out a dulled groan before rising up his head. Thor stood, tall and out of breath behind the bars that separated them. And then Loki saw the humor in this. And he laughed.

It was a dry breathy wheeze, the remnants of something so pure now turned to dust.

"Why do you laugh?" Thor demanded, shifting some on his feet, his cheeks flushed red with anger and his brow furrowed in intense frustration.

"Because no matter the events I always end up kneeling to you." Loki let his eyes roll forward, their usual mischievous mirth dulled down to the most dismal grey. No light left anymore. "Ironic, isn't _Thor_?" The god seemed to flinch slightly at the use of his name, of how it was spat like poison from a silver-tongue.

But then Thor did something Loki would never have anticipated. He knelt slowly down until he was seated on the ground. Loki swallowed, desperately trying to wet his throat once more.

The tears were annoying enough; he really didn't need to be tongue-tied either.

"You are not below me and I am not below you. We are equal." Another sharp bark of bitter laughter, another burning glance.

"Says the king to the prisoner."

"Or the brother to a sibling." Loki gritted his teeth, snapping his head to the side and snarled as he managed to bite out:

"We are not brothers."

"Not in your eyes."

"You are infuriating."

"You think yourself better?" The smile that threatened Loki's countenance caught him by surprise. His lips barely twitched but he felt it-the happy stirrings of warmth in his chest. Nostalgia. He remembered him and Thor's childish banters late at night, after a feast or during a hot sunny summer day sparring. Something inside of him burned cold.

Thor looked on with sad eyes-lost eyes, as he watched Loki's inner turmoil from eleven feet away. The grin that had subconsciously creeped its way in began to fade, replaced only with a bitter truth.

"I wish to help you, Loki. I wish to get you well again."

"And I wish to die." Loki snapped, head turning up to Thor's shocked face once more. And he did smile now, a slow slithering sneer that made Thor feel sick. "Does this surprise you? Surely you didn't think that I had half the heart to carry on, did you?" Loki's voice echoed about the cell and for a moment after it was definably quiet. Then, with slow a pretense Thor rose to his feet, eyes never leaving Loki's. They both didn't want to look away.

"I will not allow that." Thor spoke eventually, his voice thick and even. "I will not allow your death."

"How do you still have enough pride to defend me? To claim to protect me?" With this Loki rose hesitantly to his feet, staggering some to the left before walking slowly forward across the stones. The guard by Thor shifted some, hands uncurling and curling back again, watching with a wary demeanor as the trickster moved painfully forward.

"Why do you still care?" Loki stumbled to a halt, two feet away from Thor and he could practically hear the thunderer's deep breaths. "I threatened to destroy the world you love, I tried to kill your friends-to kill you, to kill that _woman_ you claim to have feelings for, yet…" And Loki trailed softly off; his once beautiful green eyes searching Thor's raging blue ones. "And yet you still love me."

The guard besides Thor stepped forward, his armor clanking and he raised the butt end of his spear as though he would hit Loki back. He would have, had Thor not caught the gold metallic shaft and ordered the guard back down.

"My lord, if he has upset you I can easily-"

"That will not be necessary. Stand down." The smile that stretched across Loki's face was one of a daunting feigned flush.

"_Did_ I upset you?" Thor didn't respond, lowering his arm and clenching his jaw. His body language said it all. "Ah, I did, didn't I?" The mirth was evident in Loki's voice as he reached out, arm slipping through the space in the bars so that his fingers lightly touched the metal plate of Thor's armor.

The jolt the traveled through Loki was intense, and he stared, perplexed, at how the draining sensation in his arm vanished upon Thor's touch.

Unfortunately, Thor's warmth didn't last for long. It seems his "brother" was too preoccupied to catch the guard this time. Loki heard his nose crack and he fell back, his side hitting the far wall as he slid down to the ground once more. The blood that gushed from his nose was hotter than the new trail down his neck. Vaguely, he heard Thor's angered retort.

And then nothing as the darkness came and spiraled him whole.

* * *

Thank you ALL for your wonderful reviews! They give me motivation to keep on writing! See? Two new chapters in a day, WOO!

Liked it? Hated it?

I would love (NICE) feedback, (CONSTRUCTIVE) criticism.

Thank you for reading! (:


	4. Chapter 4

_Disclaimer_||Obviously, I don't own anything. Frankly, I don't want to. Everything Marvel has done with this so far has been perfection.

_A/N_: Personally, I am not very well informed with all of the Sciences of Asgard, and the names, and the traditions, so I improvised.

-Please excuse any grammatical errors.

-Please review, it would make my day!

* * *

"It's not completely broken, but it does appear to be cracked."

Loki said nothing as Thor reached through the bars once more; trying to angle his thick arms so that the cloth he held could wipe away the blood. The metal that separated them proved to be the biggest obstacle. The fabric brushed Loki's nose harshly and the trickster hissed through his teeth in pain. Jarringly, he sat back, away from Thor's red stained hands.

"It is not your place to try and fix me." Loki's voice wavered near the end and with a jagged exhales of bitter breath the raven-haired man leant against the wall once more. Thor was silent for a moment before he stood, turning angrily to the guard beside him.

At least his nose was broken too.

It brought Thor some comfort and relief to see that.

"The key, give it to me." The guard looked slightly startled and he glanced down to Loki before turning his eyes to Thor once more.

"The All Father has forbidden-"

"I shall deal with Odin. Now give me the key before more than just your nose becomes twisted." Loki snorted and shook his head, sneer twisting into something with more pain as he shifted against the stones.

"Look at you," He gasped as some of the bars pulled back and Thor entered the cell with weary precision, the metal sliding back into place after him. "Going against the All Father's wishes."

"Hold your tongue, Loki, I am in no mood for your mockery." There was a small scoff but Loki remained silent as Thor knelt down in front of him, holding up his hands instead. Gently, Thor raised his hands to Loki's face, his calloused fingers brushing gingerly against the battered skin of Loki's nose.

A blue thin light appeared, shining just under the pads of Thor's fingers, and Loki gave a sharp exhale of breath as the skin around his nose began to mend, as the bones snapped about his nose re-aligned. He hadn't meant to look up at Thor in silent awe; he told himself it was because of the pain lowering his guard. But really it was Thor breaking down another one of his many walls. His skin seemed to glow warm, the metal bonds that were coiled about his wrists suddenly didn't hurt as much anymore.

And Thor looked so focused, so intense at what he was doing that it was all Loki could do not to laugh. And this time, the slight chuckling scoff was light, soft, familiar, and Thor faltered for a moment to watch Loki's eyes light like they used too. Upon Thor's pausing Loki cleared his throat and darted his eyes to the ground, focusing instead on his tattered boots.

"You laughed." Thor whispered, amusement and hope tucked deep into the folds of his deep voice. Loki bit his lip, anger and frustration building up like a hot iron inside his chest. He refused to say anything more on Thor's comment. It took awhile before the feeling came back into Loki's nose, and he couldn't help wiggling it some just to see if it truly was all right again.

The pain was gone, that was for sure, and Thor-without another word-reached back around to try and fix the gashes and cuts about Loki's head.

This time not one of them spoke, but Loki let his head fall forward some, relishing in the comforting warmth that seemed to emanate from Thor's very essence.

The thunderer left five minutes later, stopping before he departed down the hall once more. The guard shifted some, wiping the drying blood from his own nose. Thor barely cast him a glance. He seemed to debate whether or not what to say, so he settled for the one thing that made Loki's heart stop:

"Goodnight, brother."

The memories of their childhood came back in one fell swoop and Loki had to duck his head to his knees to keep himself from crying out. How could he feel so angry and yet so happy all at once? He felt as though he'd tear himself in half fighting. He didn't know whether he should curse Thor or praise him.

So when he heard Thor's fading footsteps he decided on neither.

* * *

The feast before them was divine.

The Warriors Three and Lady Sif sat to Thor's right, all partaking in the golden cooked mutton, the ripe green pumpkin skins, the boiled rosemary and duck soup…

Volstagg was consumed with his usual gluttony, bashing anything edible within reach into his mouth. Fandral, bright, charming Fandral, was telling the large bearded warrior to slow down before he ate the table in his haste, Sif ate the darkest violet grapes, smiling along side her friends, and Thor found his mood slightly upturned until he glanced his eyes upon Hogun.

The third battler was quiet, more so than usual, his fork scraping gently against the tender beef and he chewed with a slow, monochrome intensity. His mannerisms reminded Thor so much of Loki that he found himself pooled downward into the dark corners of his heart, suddenly feeling ashamed at having so much food whereas Loki had nothing. T

his thought had only occurred to him now, that since Loki was a prisoner he would be treated as such, delicacies would certainly be withheld.

Sif turned to him with a smile, much too bright and much too flirtatious, until she noticed Thor's downcast countenance. Slowly she leaned over some, her dark hair catching the gleam of the candles about them. Softly, she let her hand fall gently on his triceps, the metal scales of his armor cool beneath the tips of her fingers.

"Thor, whatever is the matter? You look so…melancholy."

"Well why shouldn't he?" Volstagg roared, his words echoing like crashing boulders throughout the dining hall. "His _brother_ almost destroyed Midgard, and is sentenced to _death_ and yet-"

"_What_?" The softness of Thor's voice stopped Volstagg in the midst of his rant and it seemed as everyone gathered about the table stiffened with sudden anxiety. Volstagg cleared his throat, uncomfortable under the scrutiny of Thor's dark gaze.

"Perhaps I was rude, I didn't intend-"

"Loki is sentenced to death?" The air grew enormously thick, filled no longer with just the sweet smells of food. Fandral's blue eyes narrowed, confusion etched into every pore of his features and he leant forward to better look at Thor.

"You were unaware?" The silence that followed was a deathly accurate accusation and Sif quickly tightened her hold on Thor's arm.

"Thor, I'm sure the All Father-"

"He told me nothing!" Thor roared, making Sif jump shockingly back, the Warriors Three flinch in wary at his tone. Thor's hands smashed against the wooden table, splinters and fragments of brown crunching beneath his blow. He stood in quick, sharp jerking movements. He ran his hands through his hair, gritted his teeth, and stomped about the stones beneath his feet. "He said it was undecided! How could he do this? His own son and he-"

"Loki was never his son, Thor." Sif's voice stopped Thor in his tracks and the thunderer swore his chest very nearly erupted with his pent up rage. His breaths were quick and ragged, shock, betrayal, and hurt dancing like a light display across his paling features.

"You dare say that?" Thor snarled, the rage in his voice taking even Hogun off guard. "You dare sound like them? I thought you better than the rest." His cold gaze surveyed his friends, the table that now sported a gaping two holes. He shook his head, once, twice, before letting out a frustrated snarl. "I thought you all better." He left with the swish of his red cape and the revulsion words to the air.

* * *

Loki was about to fall asleep, and quite frankly he was in the most comfortable position he had been in days, before the churning of metal bars awoke him with a jolt.

He blinked, trying to clear his blurred vision as a dark figure crept towards him. Warily, he turned his gaze to outside his cell and found the guard from before not there. So, the one walking before him would be… the metal that was thrown against his mouth caught him by surprise.

His shoulders ached from their lack of movement and Loki only managed to get out a short gasp before the gag was snapped back around his jaw and his mouth was held shut.

"Now you listen to me, fallen prince of Asgard." The guard's voice was rough, lower than usual and it had hidden within it the deep scratchy lust of an aroused adolescent man. Suddenly Loki felt afraid. He felt utterly vulnerable, his arms bound behind his back and his mouth locked deathly into place. He had nothing to defend himself with.

"You scream and I break your leg." For emphasis the guard jammed down the end of spear into Loki's thigh, digging it in deep until the raven-haired man slammed his head back with renewed unwanted pain. "You make any sound at all and I snap your jaw in half, understand?" He couldn't very well answer, now could he?

But the muffle fell away and the guard stood, fumbling some with the strings about the waistband of his trousers. Loki's mouth felt dry, beyond dry, and he didn't think he could talk even if he wanted to. The guard's trousers dropped to the stones with a tattered thud, and he stepped closer, fingers squeezing Loki's jaw until the broken man's mouth was forced open.

"You're nothing without your magic. In this situation we both know who's stronger. Fighting would just be a waste of time…don't you agree?" The worst part was, that even when the guard's fingers knotted in his hair, pulled him forward and made him take him whole, was that all Loki could do was agree.

* * *

Okay, in all honesty I hated writing this chapter. I literally hated it.

But it had to be done and I apologize if it offended any of you.

Liked it? Hated it?

I would love (NICE) feedback, (CONSTRUCTIVE) criticism.

Thank you for reading! (:


	5. Chapter 5

_Disclaimer_||Obviously, I don't own anything. Frankly, I don't want to. Everything Marvel has done with this so far has been perfection.

_A/N_: Personally, I am not very well informed with all of the Sciences of Asgard, and the names, and the traditions, so I improvised.

-Please excuse any grammatical errors.

-Please review, it would make my day!

* * *

"You would have Loki killed?"

"It is Asgardian Justice, Thor. You said yourself that you wished it." Thor faltered, the anger in his features washed away with dense confusion.

"I said no such-"

"While you were attempting to retrieve both the Tesseract and Loki on Midgard." Odin's eye hardened, his mouth turning down into a press of firm lips. "You were talking to the man clad in iron." It struck Thor then, a slap to the face, the conversation he had held with Tony Stark. The ice that shrouded his heart chilled him to the very core and he felt the anger leave him in one fell swoop, only to be replaced with a chilling paranoia.

"You…how do you-?" A raven's caw interrupted Thor's words. It was shrill and cut his ears, and with a slow dreading doubt Thor raised his head to meet Odin's gaze head on.

"You spied on me. Why?"

"I wanted to make sure you were safe. And to see if you would return Loki to Asgard." Thor's breathing was labored; he wasn't sure why he felt so panicked, so insecure. But perhaps it was because Odin had witnessed Thor's love for his brother, his undying dedication. But somewhere in the back of Thor's mind he knew that wasn't the only reason. Odin always managed to find the hidden meanings of things.

"You are a father," Thor began, his fists curling and uncurling under the All Father's gaze. "Have you forgotten how to act like one?" That seemed to do it. Odin rose, slowly, menacingly, from his golden throne, and when he walked down the steps to Thor everything echoed in the eerie silence.

"You shall never be a king if you cannot put the people's lives before yours. Loki is a threat, one that must be eliminated. I only wish for the protection of this realm, and it seems that even Loki's very presence here threatens that." Thor tilted his head, worked on keeping his breathing calm, his fists at his sides.

"You say Loki's presence here is dangerous. Father, is someone after him?" Their conversation didn't carry further. The stumbling of steps, the panting of ragged breaths instead interrupted it, and a voice so laden with unparalleled sobs it was impossible not to be alert.

"All Father!" Thor turned to see a guard, the one that stood tall outside Loki's cell, stagger down the rounded spectacle to come crashing down on the floor before them. He was sweating profusely, scratches covered his face in deep, bleeding welts and blood stained the inner confinements of his trousers. Immediately Thor felt his breath falter.

"Forgive me for my unruly state, I-"

"Who is watching the prisoner?" Odin's voice was dark and booming, and the guard stiffened with a weary sort of countenance. Hesitantly, he raised his head and Thor saw his swollen eye, tattered nostril and bleeding lip. At first he was slightly amused, that Loki managed this much harm with his hands bound behind his back but then it hit him: how did Loki do this?

He couldn't get enough traction through the bars, not nearly enough force to cause this much damage. So…

"He has escaped."

* * *

Running through the massive, twisting corridors was something that Thor hadn't done in a very long time. Not since him and Loki were little, one always chasing the other. In the end, Thor always caught Loki first. And as he ran over gold, and suave, and silk, Thor could only hope that he still knew Loki well enough to pin point where he would be.

Around him he could hear others, all guards, all warriors, shouting out orders from the prison cells and down the halls.

It was exhausting; it honestly was, twisting and turning, and leaping and _trying_, trying so very hard to keep breathing.

Because breathing was key.

For a moment Thor feared of Heimdall, that he would see Loki and tell Odin of his whereabouts. But this only made Thor pick up his pace before he slid to a halt. He stilled before a huge wood door, which was planted firmly into the wide gold sleet of the walls.

Cautiously he pressed his hand against it and pushed his way in. It was dark, his room, the candle that he had lit the other night on the desk had gone out. He closed the door behind him as quietly as he could, muffling the sounds of the guards down below. Anxiously, he whispered, "Loki?"

There was silence for a moment until the beds of his sheets ruffled and two green eyes peered up from beneath the thick cotton sheets. They were wide, cowering in the darkened shadows, and as Thor's eyes adjusted to the light he noticed a slight trembling in their form.

"Gods, Loki…" He muttered in unhidden rageful frustration, and, crossing over to the bed, he ripped the covers back.

By the light of the moons he was taken off guard.

Loki's simple green tunic seemed to be ripped fully at the top, his once flawless porcelain skin marred disgustingly red. Sheen of nervous sweat covered his body and his wrists were bleeding and raw against their binds. The muffle was placed over his mouth, and when Thor moved forward and ripped it off a stream of blood escaped with it.

Blood, and a substance of thick milky white.

Thor felt afraid, afraid and infuriated as he took in the state of the man in his bed. He could hear the prison keepers down the hall, calling out loud and kicking open the doors in their path. Loki's eyes darted pleadingly up to Thor's, and his voice quivered as he whispered:

"Please."

Thor's resolve shattered.

His indecision melted away like wax to a flame.

Because seeing Loki, curled up, small, broken, and terrified in his bed reminded him of when Loki was nine, of how he used to get terrible night terrors and would have to sneak into bed with Thor to fall back asleep. Thor would tuck his chin on Loki's head and whisper to him fables of Valhalla, and Loki would fall softly asleep against him.

Protectiveness washed over Thor with the memory and he rushed forward and gathered Loki to him, rested his chin on top of the raven-haired man's head, and pressed the trembling body close to his chest. He could feel Loki's breath, hot spurts against the skin of his neck and he reached around the terrified figure to rip the metal from Loki's wrists.

Upon the action Loki slumped fully into him, a groan of pain and relief escaping his cracked lips. It was then that the door flew open and the guard's and Warriors Three appeared in the light of the doorway. Thor stiffened and tightened his hold on Loki, who, upon the other's arrival, had reached up and placed two fingers to Thor's left temple.

Sif had begun to move forward, face contorted in shocked madness, when Loki whispered three soft words.

In a sick, rushing motion the room swirled and disappeared only to be replaced with black asphalt on a road in Midgard.

* * *

Liked it? Hated it?

I would love (NICE) feedback, (CONSTRUCTIVE) criticism.

Thank you for reading! (:


	6. Chapter 6

_Disclaimer_||Obviously, I don't own anything. Frankly, I don't want to. Everything Marvel has done with this so far has been perfection.

_A/N_: Personally, I am not very well informed with all of the Sciences of Asgard, and the names, and the traditions, so I improvised.

-Please excuse any grammatical errors.

-Please review, it would make my day!

* * *

Everything hurt.

The scratches down his sides and chest stung against the dark smooth road.

His thighs ached and he found he could barely move them.

His head was spinning furiously, he felt as though he would throw up, and the taste of blood and bitter seed lingered pungent on his tongue. He felt dirty.

And he hated it.

"Loki…how did you bring us here?" If he could talk he would. All he managed was a soft groan of pain and a thick swallow, his throat burned it was so raw.

Instead he chose not to move, instead opting for keeping his temple pressed against the ground as he listened to Thor's armor clank together as the thunderer rose dizzying to his feet.

"What realms of Midgard have you brought us to?" Again Loki chose to remain quiet, at which point worried Thor all the more. Frustrated he bent down, and, rougher than he should have been; he hoisted Loki to his feet. The god teetered and then fell forward, Thor having to brace the trickster against him for support. Loki, Thor realized, was shockingly cold.

"Loki, I would find it wise of you to answer me-"

"I have brought us I know not where." Was the muffled response as Loki burrowed his head roughly into the fabric above Thor's collarbone. "Now let me be."

With a heavy sigh Thor wrapped his arm about Loki's waist, hoisting the smaller god up and then over onto his back. Instinctively Loki's arms wrapped around his throat and he hissed in pain as his tender wrists brushed the quell of Thor's cape.

"Your wrists are infected." Thor mused as he began to trudge them along, eyes intent on the road before them. "Loki, you are not even safe here. If SHEILD catches wind of your arrival than the whole of the world will be on you."

A bitter laugh tickled Thor's ear and the sent of blood and cum was heavy on Loki's breath.

"Then the war will start all over again." Thor's grip on Loki tighten, as did the arm's around his neck, and it was the small squeezing reminder that focused Thor into remaining calm.

"Loki, what did he do to you?" The body against his own tensed, and for a moment all that could be heard was Thor's steps and the night sounds of insects about them.

It was in this time that Thor took in their surroundings. It was different than where Jane was; they were on a stretch of road that seemed to go on for miles.

Woods rose tall to their right and endless rolling hills to their left. The only light was an occasional tall pole with a glowing fixture on the top, and the moon's luminescent gleam.

When Loki spoke fifteen minutes later Thor couldn't help but jump.

"He forced himself on me. Well, he tried. A feeble attempt, he did not get far. Not as far as he would have hoped. Far enough for me. I assume he did this to try and figure himself above me, above someone who used to be considered royalty. I believe you fueled his rage, Thor, with your manner of indifference to him. He grew agitated." Loki's voice was steady, light, and matter-of-fact, and while the broken god was calm the strong one was not.

"I should like to crush his skull."

"Me more than you." The sadness that crept into Loki's voice was obvious but Thor made no remark. Instead he tightened his grip, shut his eyes, and tried desperately not to think about the guard's hands pulling at Loki's tunic, nails cutting skin, punches silencing unwanted noise.

So that's what the gag was on for.

Suddenly, Thor thought himself to be sick. His stomach did a fearful lurch and he staggered some, breathing heavily through his nostrils.

Loki's voice cut through silky sweet and tantalizingly taunting.

"Why so angry? For prisoners it is usually much more severe."

"You dare to mock me now?"

"Not mock, Thor, observe." Gently, Thor whispered:

"What hurts?" The side of Loki's head bumped against Thor's, unconsciously or not it was a gesture of small comfort, and for a glimpse of a moment Thor found the hope that perhaps Loki could be saved.

That perhaps deep down he wanted to be helped. Loki's next words confirmed Thor's growing suspicions:

"Everything."

They walked in silence once more.

Thor would have very much liked to have laid Loki down and care to his wounds but the trickster was asleep within the minute. His lithe body flaccid against Thor's back, his nose pressed into Thor's neck, his mouth brushed against the thunderer's skin with each step.

Thor wasn't sure of his emotions, of his feelings, because the ones that were building deep in his core were ones he had never encountered before.

And he could not name them.

He found himself growing paranoid as he walked on, unknowing if any wandering mortal would recognize them. He was certain New York was still in shambles.

Only about eleven days had passed since Loki's wrath.

There was no way anything was together again. And because Thor held Loki, because Thor was going against every law to protect him, no one in the Avengers, or mortals in the cities and towns, was going to help them.

Loki's breaths were light and slow, and occasionally there would be a great pause, in which case Thor would panic into thinking he had stopped breathing altogether.

He wasn't sure the time when the headlights appeared. It was still dark, unbelievably so, but the headlights of a busted up truck seemed to jolt Thor awake again. He stepped over to the side of the road, heart racing because if someone did recognize him what could he do to explain his predicament?

To his dismay the truck slowed, rattled to a halt and the passenger side window slowly rolled down.

Thor was met with the face of an old man, whose wrinkles were kind and eyes knowing. But the man only licked at his dried lips, adjusted his dusted baseball cap and said with a toothy smile,

"You boys need a place to stay?"

* * *

The truck, thankfully, had a backseat, one long stretch of moth eaten fabric and seat belts, and Thor laid Loki down across the seat as gently as he could.

Loki did not awaken, didn't even stir, instead he curled up on himself and scrunched his eyes tighter closed. The door closed with a rusted creak and the old man began to drive down the road again, retracing the steps Thor had taken previously.

"So what's yer name?" The mortal man questioned, lips smacking softly with a slightly bent back. The man's hands were bony and withered, and they gripped the leather of the steering wheel tightly as they drove.

"Thor Odinson." There was no use in lying. The man made no move of recognition; instead he only chuckled softly and shook his head.

"That's a perty weird name you got there, son. Hah, mighty strange indeed. Put on yer seat belt now, they'll protect you. Now what about the one in the back? He all right?"

"His name is Loki. He will be fine." The old man laughed again, a warm breezy sound that made Thor relax some against the seat.

"Why do you laugh?"

"You gots a strange accent there."

"I could say the same for you."

"Oh, I 'spose you could. I'm Archie. Now, you boys can stay with me for a while. If you have no where to go that is."

"We would be most grateful." The hum of the engine was peaceful, soothing, and Thor glanced back over his seat to try and see Loki's face. It was still marred but it looked better than before.

He was still so very pale…

Thor found himself resisting the urge to touch Loki's cheek, and he turned around before he gave that thought to much unnecessary attention.

* * *

The house Archie pulled up to was a simple white farmhouse, a wrap around porch and long narrow windows, peeling paint and green plains that stretched out to the ends of the earth.

The air smelled heavily of hay and corn and Thor opened the back door to get Loki. Softly he tucked one arm under Loki's knees and the other under his head and carried him up, cradling the broken god against his chest. Archie showed them into the front hall, a small branching thing with hardwood floors and soft glowing lamps.

"Follow me." Archie gestured, and with slow precise steps he began to climb the creaking stairs. Thor followed, angling Loki so that his feet wouldn't hit against the bars of the banister.

The hallway upstairs had three doors, each white, each tall. Archie pointed to the first.

"My room." He shuffled forward and gestured to the second door.

"Bathroom." Again he waddled across the carpet to the third door.

"Your boy's room. It should be enough, I had two kids, and they used to sleep here." Thor smiled and nodded, leaning forward so Archie could hear him better.

"I am grateful for what you are doing. You have my thanks." Archie smiled, blue eyes crinkling and he nodded before turning and walking back down the hall to his room.

"G'night!" The door shut and that was that.

Thor gave a soft sigh before pushing open the door to his and Loki's new room.

It was small but quaint, the beds side by side facing a small window that overlooked what looked to be a cornfield. It was too dark for specifics and Thor opted for placing Loki on the bed closest to the wall.

He wanted the one by the door. He wasn't sure if Loki would wake up before him and leave. He felt more secure this way.

Loki groaned and shifted and Thor caught himself admiring the light of the moon against Loki's features. The pale light accented his high cheekbones, made his hair shine and his lips pink and full. Thor immediately felt ashamed, flushed and quickly began to remove Loki's shoes. The god did not awaken, not even when Thor pulled the soft plaid blanket up to his chin.

Dulcet, Thor smiled.

* * *

I am so tired, and I almost fell asleep while writing this. So sorry if it's sloppy.

Liked it? Hated it?

I would love (NICE) feedback, (CONSTRUCTIVE) criticism.

Thank you for reading! (:


	7. Chapter 7

_Disclaimer_||Obviously, I don't own anything. Frankly, I don't want to. Everything Marvel has done with this so far has been perfection.

_A/N_: Personally, I am not very well informed with all of the Sciences of Asgard, and the names, and the traditions, so I improvised.

-Please excuse any grammatical errors.

-Please review, it would make my day!

* * *

_ The hand that was on him was withered. _

_It felt like harsh leather and slime and Loki gritted his teeth against the way such skin tainted his armor, the gold of his helmet, the emerald suave of his cape. And when that same hand trickled up to plant itself harshly on his face, the rotted nails scraping his once unblemished skin, he felt sick. _

_ "When we find you, you'll long for something as sweet as pain."_

The slap against his cheek awoke him with a jolt, and, startled, he sat up quickly, the blanket that had been thoughtfully downed upon him fluttered to the ground. His breathing was harsh and speratic, and the pain that erupted from his ribs sent him following back down again. Slowly, Loki turned his head over to the snoring form beside him. The only thing separated his and Thor's beds was a small night able, one that looked old enough to be considered antique.

He blinked, his eyes adjusting rather quickly to the dim lighting of the room, and as he surveyed the simple wooden layout it made him feel as though he was trespassing on sacred ground.

This room had not been used for years, and on further observation it seemed that whomever had occupied it had left rather suddenly. Toys were still lined on the shelves, expensive, by the way they still stood tall, even with all the layers of dust caked about their shoulders.

He raised his arm only to find his shoulder was painstakingly sore. With a frustrated groan he turned over on his side, and the pain that came blooming back forced him into his earlier position.

"You certainly can't sleep still." Thor's deep voice grumbled and Loki found himself wondering when his snoring had stopped. He spotted the window across from him, the moon that shone in and mutedly he wondered if he could fit himself through without too much notice.

Thor had only to fall asleep again.

Nevertheless, Loki turned his green eyes to his brother, who, comically, was curled up rather tight on the narrow mattress. Loki's mouth tightened in amusement.

"Have your wounds healed?" Thor questioned, breaking the peaceful silence and making Loki shift some on the bed. He fit fine.

"It will take some time. My magic had been draining from me for days. I used the last of it to get us here. I fear its return." His throat felt tight and so he swallowed, his chest tight in fear.

Had he lost his magic?

Truly?

He couldn't stomach the thought. Suddenly, he felt vulnerable, weak. And then his dream came back to him, the memory of the Chitauri's threat flooded his mind and he shivered, maybe a bit too harshly, because he heard Thor's mattress creak as the thunderer sat up.

"Loki, if your magic does not return-"

"I do not wish to speak of this."

"I do."

"And everything's always about you isn't it?" The venom that snaked its way into Loki's words was involuntary, but it stung Thor all the same.

"I betrayed father for you, I broke every law coming here with you, I am trying my best to protect you, and you think I am only concerned for myself? Loki, how blind sighted are you?" Loki felt the anger flare up in him like a vice, hot and reverent, and he sat up despite his protesting injuries.

"I didn't ask for any of that! You could have left me, you could have allowed your _precious_ Warriors Three to take me, why didn't you?" The emotions that were coiled in Loki's words made Thor hesitate before answering. It made him, in fact, get up from his position and move across the small strip of space to where Loki lay. Cautiously, he knelt down by Loki's bedside.

"Because there is still good in you, Loki. I can see it." Loki scoffed, suddenly hyper aware of Thor's close proximity.

"There is **nothing** left to me. _Good_? How can you see something which does not exist?" Thor's eyes softened marginally in the gloom, and slowly, as though dealing with a wounded animal, he lifted his hand to Loki's face.

Silently, his thumb wiped something wet away from Loki's cheek. The green eyes widened as they felt wetness escape them, and with each new tear Thor laid it away with the tip of his thumb. Pitying soft, Thor smiled.

"Your tears say everything." Appalled, Loki attempted to pull back, only to be stopped by Thor's other hand cupping the side of his head, holding him warmly in place. "All those times we fought, Loki, you have never lain a blow to me that was fatal. You never striked to kill." Loki stiffened under Thor's hold, shock overwhelming everything else. His silver tongue had turned to lead. He knew no words in which he wished to speak.

So he just stared, and cried, and froze, beneath Thor's gentle touch.

"You'd give up _everything_…anything at all…to help me?" There was pain in Loki's voice, so much pain that it made Thor's heart ache. Wordlessly he nodded. There was a stretch of silence, a suffocating stretch before Loki broke it.

With a bitter, cynical laugh.

"You are foolish, Odinson! I have made more enemies than friends, surely-"

"I will protect you." The laughter stopped immediately, Loki's breathing raggedly harsh. Blue eyes clashed with green. Hands tightened their hold. Hearts sped. "It is as simple as that. I will protect you, if you so swear to try and change."

And Loki Laufeyson, for the second time that hour, was speechless.

* * *

"Is there anything I can do to help?" Archie turned away from the stove, white button up shirt looking bright against the orange leaves of the trees outside. The screen door to the kitchen was open, Thor guessed it was located on the side of the house, and the breeze that swept in was slightly chilled.

He remembered New York's weather being like this before him and Loki left. Funny, how long it felt since then. Distractedly, he wondered how everyone was, how The Avengers were holding up. Well, he imagined, seeing as Midgard had not been destroyed in his absence.

Archie smacked his lips thoughtfully, eyes softening some, as he delicately took the frying pan off the old stove. Fleetingly, Thor remembered making such a meal with Jane.

"I could use some help in the fields. I'm not as strong as I used to be, you could help me pull some corn." Not quite understanding what "corn" was Thor just nodded. Archie held up the pan, tipping some of the yellow eggs onto three small plates.

He then proceeded to slowly make his way across, and, opening a white cabinet over the sink, he took out three narrow glasses. With just as much procession he filled them and with trembling fingers held a plate and glass out to Thor.

"Take one up to yer boyfriend. He's prolly starving." Thor chose to ignore the slip of Archie's choice words.

* * *

"What is this?" Loki questioned, hesitantly taking the warm porcelain from Thor's hands. Green eyes narrowed in wary suspicion, and the small nose wrinkled at the cooked smell. Grinning, Thor sat down at the edge of the bed, more so near Loki's feet, as he handed the smaller god a fork.

"Scrambled eggs." Thor answered; watching as Loki slowly took the delicate eating utensil from his grasp.

"Scrambled eggs?"

"They are like tuscians. Only yellow, and with a slightly more pronounced taste. They are good." Thor added, noting the way Loki's concern had turned to more of an accusing glare.

"You are certain this is edible?"

"Just try it."

Thor would forever remember the look of childish wonder on Loki's face as he had his first scrambled egg.

* * *

"Pull back just a little of that there layer. That's it. Now, see how it's rotted? We don't want that. So don't pick it. The ones that are clean you throw 'n this basket. Gots it?"

Thor nodded, and, with a certain level of scrutiny, moved to the next stalk of corn.

Although the work was mindlessly easy Thor found himself having a nice time, shaded from the sun by the thick rolling clouds. The stalks of corn rustled like paper in the breeze, and the air was fresh and clean. It was pure, unlike the perfumed air of Asgard. Vaguely, Thor wondered if he should find Jane.

He felt guilty about not seeing her but…something was holding him back.

"Looks like rain." Archie commented, standing up straight after twenty minutes of bending down. Thor glanced up and, indeed, the clouds looked much darker than they had when they had first began.

"Indeed, it does. It will not be too severe." Thor remarked, idly turning a ripe piece of corn in his palm.

"Have we gathered enough?" With this Archie laughed, and, tiredly, he shook his old head.

"You see these next two rows?" Thor did. "We gotta go through these. Then we can take a break and finish up five more. Then we cook ourselves some corn and beans and rice, and we eat."

"I have not tried any of those things." Thor admitted, eyes turning up to the sky once more. Suddenly, he got the unnerving feeling that he was being watched.

Paranoid, he looked back towards the house. The small window in Loki and his room was open, and dimly he could see Loki, asleep and pale in bed. Worried and anxious Thor turned back to the rows of corn.

He decided it was best to get this over with.

He finished the seven rows in fifteen minutes.

Archie had never laughed so hard.

* * *

Getting Loki out of bed was more difficult than any of them had anticipated. Archie sat back, leaning against the doorframe as Thor gently maneuvered Loki out of his entangled bed sheets.

The raven haired god had to lean fully on Thor, and when the taller of the two attempted to stand back Loki would stumble, and cough, and blood would seep like candy drops from his nose.

"I'm amazed you two can move at all, wearin' those ridiculous outfits." Archie commented, and Loki shot the old man a glare before seating himself tiredly on the bed once more.

Thor sighed, running his fingers through his hair, and he turned desperately to Archie.

"I do not suppose you would have any clothes we could borrow?" For a moment, Archie looked thoughtful.

Then, with an air of painful remembrance, he entered the room and crossed over to a small door tucked against the back wall. He opened it, glanced at the young men situated in the corner, and began pulling out pants and shirts of all assortments.

Hangers clanked to the ground and before Thor realized it a bundle of clothes was thrust into his arms.

"My sons were about the same size as you two. These should fit. Get dressed and come downstairs." Archie hobbled his way out of the room, closing the door behind him, and Thor stood still for a moment before tossing the clothes on his bed.

"Will you need help getting dressed?" He asked turning to stare at Loki's bowed head. His breathing was harsh. "Loki, what hurts?"

"Enough." Loki spat, eyes glinting up over his dark down cast hair. "I am injured but I am not immobile. Stop treating me like a child." Thor nodded, taking up a shirt and pair of jeans from the pile.

"Of course. Forgive me. I will leave you to it." He crossed over to the door, opened it, and froze while closing it. Slowly Thor stuck his head back inside, earning himself a quizzical look from Loki.

"The pants…there is a button on the top. You undo that to get them on easier." The door closed on Loki's petulant features. Thor almost felt guilty, leaving him. Quickly, in the confinements of the hall bathroom, he shed his tunic and his leather trousers, instead replacing them with loose fitting jeans and a simple white shirt. The clothes, he realized, did fit him quite well. They were comfortable, and he had never felt so…relaxed. When he was finished he approached Loki and his room once more.

"Loki, are you dressed?" For a moment there was silence, then:

"Help me down the stairs." Thor opened the door, and saw Loki, attempting to stand out of his position on the bed. He wore a black shirt, one the accented the smoothness of his skin and the green of his eyes.

His jeans matched Thor's but his pair seemed to fit him a bit more snug. It was strange, Thor decided, seeing Loki in Midgardian clothes.

Loki looked out of place and yet, he looked like belonged as well. It took Thor a moment to shake himself from his thoughts and, draping Loki's arm over his shoulder, he helped the injured god to the door.

After a slow process of Loki taking each step two minutes at a time Thor found it easier to just carry the pronounced killer to the kitchen.

Loki had lost weight, his features were still pale, but his wounds had ceased their bleeding, and when Thor sat him down gingerly into a kitchen chair he caught Archie smiling sadly down upon them. And, for just a moment, the clouds outside seemed to pity them too.

It was that night though, that simple dinner around a small table, that Thor found himself feeling the happiest he had ever felt.

Loki's expressions to the strange food were ones to behold, and although he could tell the trickster was fighting it, occasionally a small smile formed on the thin rosy lips. And that was all Thor needed to feel at home.

* * *

School for me is almost out for summer. ABOUT TIME. I don't know about you guys, but I love Archie's little farm. Loki in human clothes=adorable.

Liked it? Hated it?

I would love (NICE) feedback, (CONSTRUCTIVE) criticism.

Thank you for reading! (:


	8. Chapter 8

_Disclaimer_||Obviously, I don't own anything. Frankly, I don't want to. Everything Marvel has done with this so far has been perfection.

_A/N_: Personally, I am not very well informed with all of the Sciences of Asgard, and the names, and the traditions, so I improvised.

-Please excuse any grammatical errors.

-Please review, it would make my day!

* * *

_ The hand that was on him was withered. _

_It felt like harsh leather and slime and Loki gritted his teeth against the way such skin tainted his armor, the gold of his helmet, the emerald suave of his cape. _

_And when that same hand trickled up to plant itself harshly on his face, the rotted nails scraping his once unblemished skin, he felt sick. _

_ "When we find you, you'll long for something as sweet as pain." _

_And his body jolted, concaved in on itself as the spear blade struck him, through the ribs, through his lungs. Gasping he was forced back, the Chitaurian's teeth scraping tight against the exposed skin of his neck. _

_ "We can see you." He whispered, and Loki only managed to cough up a thick, hot trail of blood in response. "We're almost to you." The blade churned in him, made him scream and his blood flow forth like spoiled milk. _

_ "You are dead, Loki Laufeyson." _

Loki awoke with a sharp gasp and a throbbing stomach.

He pushed the covers off his sweat worn body and hurriedly checked his skin for any blood, any wounds, any spearheads poking through.

He found none, and, with a humiliated sigh he fell back against the pillows and headboard once more. Desperately, he tried to calm his breathing.

He wiped the tears from his eyes with the back of his hand. His wounds were healing, much quicker than before, and vaguely he wondered if the old man had put something in his food. He had no sense that his powers were returning. Cautiously, he glanced over to Thor.

The man was sleeping heavily, the blankets in tangles about his legs. Softly, Loki smiled.

He tried closing his eyes to sleep again but all he could see was the Chitauri's teeth, it's slimy flesh, and hate-ridden words. Loki found that he was deathly afraid. And, seeing as he wasn't about to go to sleep anytime soon, he quietly stood from his bed and crossed over to the door.

The floorboards creaked softly beneath his feet, and he tried his best not to stomp but god knows he had just regained his balance once more. Using the wall for leverage and minimal support he willed his sore, stiff legs forward, and, oh so gently, he opened the door. There was a dim light, Loki noticed, shining through the small hallway downstairs, and he quickly closed the door before the shift of air awoke Thor. It took him a while but he managed to clear the stairs, finding that the more he walked the easier it was getting.

But his head throbbed and he was still exhausted and he felt so _dirty_, that it was all he could do but not run into the kitchen and fling himself down upon the nearest chair. It was then that he blinked; the light suddenly making his eyes burn, and it took him a few moments to make anything out. He was slightly surprised to see Archie sitting across from him, concern etched on his withered features.

"You have a bad dream again?" The old man whispered, as though this piece of knowledge was highly secretive. Loki bit his lip and tried his best to look anywhere but the man. He really wasn't in a talkative mood.

"It would appear so." He responded, and felt a twinge of guilt at how rough and cynical his words sounded. Sheepishly, for reasons he was unsure, he chanced a look at Archie. The old man looked thoughtful for a moment, before he rose slowly and crossed over to one of the cabinets. With a shaking hand he opened the first one, and attempted to reach up to try and clasp a glass.

It seemed he was having trouble, by the way his back was bent and his lips were tight, and so with a frustrated huff Loki stood and reached the glass for him. The smile he was rewarded with caught him off guard, it was so genuine and sincere that he stood frozen until Archie gently shooed him out of the way. Obediently, Loki obliged, moving back to sit in his seat once more. But he watched Archie carefully, making sure he didn't trip over the too long hems of his striped pajama pants, of how if he had to bend down to open the fridge he didn't hurt himself.

Loki found himself on his feet once more though, as he helped Archie twist off the blue cap of freshly bought milk. Or at least it was the white substance they had had with dinner. Thor said it was milk…

"I used to have some cows." Archie began, slowly motioning for Loki to hold out his glass. The murderer did. "I'm too old now, 'course. Wouldn't be able to take care of 'em all. My boys used to help me." Loki pulled the glass back when the white was nearly to the brim and Archie nodded and tucked the gallon of liquid away.

Loki moved across the cold tiles to sit once more and this time Archie followed, slow of course, but all the same. He sat with a groan and Loki couldn't help marvel at how old he was. He did seem rather weak…

"You talk about your sons often." Loki commented, holding the cool glass in his palms. The ice chill of the drink made him relax made his muscles loosen some.

"I do, don't I?" Archie murmured, hand coming up to fumble with the hem of his white thin shirt. "And you don't talk much at all." He said, turning his brown gaze to Loki. Loki swallowed and shifted some in his seat. Oddly enough, he didn't want to leave.

"Drink up. It'll help you fall back asleep. Milk always helps with nightmares." Loki obliged, letting the chilled liquid pour relief down his throat. It made the muscles in his legs unwind.

"I wish we had this when I was younger. I never got a full nights sleep." Loki commented, his voice loosing the strain of exhaustion. Yes, this drink was good. Archie looked thoughtful, a small smile snug on his thin lips.

"You seem sad, son, what's on your mind?" Loki placed the glass down on the table, eyes wandering down to the floor. He was slightly confused by this question. No one had asked him about his thoughts before. What was one supposed to say?

"There is too much on my mind to discuss." It was true. But Archie didn't look amused.

"I wish to help." The old man responded and Loki felt his chest tighten uncomfortably.

"I don't believe I can ever account for the crimes I've committed." He spoke slowly, more to himself than to anyone, but Archie stayed quiet and still and listened. "I am angry. I am scared. I am a betrayer and I have been betrayed. But, it seems that above all I'm…" He swallowed, thickly, desperately. "…I'm broken." There was silence, the only sound coming from the slow rhythmic ticking of the clock from above the stove. When Archie spoke next his words were soft.

"It sounds to me son, like your heartbroken if anything." Loki's head snapped up, anger flaring up in him like a fire until he noticed Archie's smiling façade and the rage seemed to become a minute detail.

"Heartbroken?" He whispered, and his voice cracked at the end. His breathing had sped and he blinked, furiously, to try and dry his eyes again. He jumped when he felt a hand, old, and soft, and reassuring, lay fatherly over his own. Shocked Loki raised his head.

"I'm proud of you, Loki." Archie whispered and Loki swore his heart stopped. It froze, and cracked, and skipped two beats. "It takes a lot to face yer feelin's. An I'm proud of you for doing so." The hand over his tightened, a comforting squeeze, and Loki felt something in him that he hadn't felt in a long, long time: pride. He gave a strangled sound, something between a laugh and a sob, before he shook his head, violently, side to side.

"You would not be proud of me, if you knew what I have done."

"You wrecked New York, didn't you?" Loki stiffened, his blood turning chilled. Disbelieving he looked up.

"You knew who we were?" Encouragingly, Archie smiled, his aged hand not leaving Loki's.

"You two boys are big shots, everyone knows you."

"Why have you helped me?" Archie paused, thinking for a moment before his eyes squinted and a lone tear trickled down his cheek. Loki's heart gave a frightful kicking ache.

"Because I hate to see such misery in someone so young. 'Specially if all that someone needs is a hug." And, moving much quicker than Loki believed the old Midgardian could, Archie's arms were wrapped about him and the old man was gently holding him.

All of Loki's primary emotions switched off.

He was too much in shock to say anything.

But, slowly, after what seemed like ages, Loki lifted up his hands and, awkwardly, returned the gesture. Archie felt weak and fragile in his grip, and Loki suddenly found himself protective, protective of this mere man.

And, from his position in the doorway, Thor moved back and quietly went up the stairs once more.

* * *

A quick chapter, a short chapter. Will not update tomorrow, but hopefully will the next day? I am beyond grateful to all of my reader's fabulous reviews, I love you guys! :'D

Liked it? Hated it?

I would love (NICE) feedback, (CONSTRUCTIVE) criticism.

Thank you for reading! (:


	9. Chapter 9

_Disclaimer_||Obviously, I don't own anything. Frankly, I don't want to. Everything Marvel has done with this so far has been perfection.

_A/N_: Personally, I am not very well informed with all of the Sciences of Asgard, and the names, and the traditions, so I improvised.

-Please excuse any grammatical errors.

-Please review, it would make my day!

* * *

"He fell asleep here, I 'spose. I left a good twenty minutes after he came down."

Thor gazed amused at the sleeping form of Loki.

For a god usually wrought with despair and inner turmoil when he was asleep he was the embodiment of calm. His hair was silk shine and black tresses that seemed to pronounce the sides of his face with feather light ink strokes. His face seemed relaxed, his eyebrows slightly crinkled but not drastically. The whole of his back was stooped over the top of the table and for a moment Thor had to stand and marvel at how…beautiful, the orange morning light looked playing off of Loki's prominent features.

But when he heard Archie shuffle beside him he blinked and stepped forward, hand resting persistent on Loki's slender shoulder. He awoke with a jolt, frightfully fast, terrifyingly alert, and it startled Thor to the point of stepping back, stepping away from those wide green eyes, those pupils that resonated with fear and hard churning rage.

But upon Loki's vision falling to Thor, green clashing with blue, the green decided it was best to calm, to see that there was no threat, that the person whom had touched his shoulder meant no harm.

There was a thick silence, one of Loki's slightly heavier breaths and Thor merely testing the bounds of how close Loki would allow him to be in this state of sleep ridden mind. But Loki nodded, closed his eyes and shook his head, embarrassed almost, as he realized that he had indeed slept on half a table for the majority of the night.

Thor stepped around and took the seat across from him, pushing up closer and all the while wondering why his heart was hammering like thunder in his chest.

"How are you feeling?" Thor's deep voice seemed to shatter the lasting peaceful silence and from the corner of his eye he saw Archie stumble out the screen door outside. It looked to be a cloudy day. It would rain later on. Loki stared at his hands, thin pale fingers splayed across a surface of faded brown. Was he well? His ribs no longer hurt, his head was stiff but not bruising, and as he shifted his legs seemed well again. Even his throat, which had burned from its forced excessive use, was chilling out.

Carefully, he met Thor's gaze, and was taken aback by their prying intensity. Suddenly nervous, he let his eyes stagger to the left.

"I am much better." It was a short sentence; one that didn't feel complete and the longer Thor stared the more Loki could feel his blood warm. It was a strange sensation, one he wasn't entirely used to, and he did not wish to go into the mechanics of it now.

"If we stay longer I fear we will be stepping over his hospitality." Thor blinked, Loki's words playing like an echoing reel in his mind. Finally, he gave a short laugh.

"You would worry about such things? The god who wanted to rule men like him?" Loki stiffened, eyes growing dark and face seeping pale. His fingers tightened on the tabletop.

"I was lost then." The darkness in Loki's voice made Thor stop and lean forward, his own hands bracing themselves across from Loki's on the table. He tilted his head, gold locks falling against the light stubble on his chin.

"What about now?" Loki blinked, his mouth suddenly very dry, and he tried in vain to think about what words would be best to say. It was easier said than done, of course, under Thor's immense gaze, and all he could seem to hear in this moment was his own heart. That scared him as well. It had been a while since he had heard its rhythmic beats; he had almost forgotten he held one.

"Now, I…" And he fumbled. He fumbled for the proper words needed and he couldn't get his mind straight. He was still angry with Odin. He was still hurt. He was still overwhelmed by the damage he had done and had tried to do. And he was still terrified that **they** would find him; that they would kill him, slaughter him, violate him-

The warmth that covered his hands made his thoughts fall away like shattering glass. Startled, he looked down. Thor's hands were large, thicker than his, but in height they were about the same. Nevertheless Thor's palms managed to cover the backs of Loki's hands perfectly, the thunderer's fingers smoothed over the trickster's paler, thinner ones.

Loki's heart kick started up to his throat. Thor's grip on him tightened, and when he leaned over, closer to Loki, he smelled of a musky, pure odor. And Loki found himself being drawn in.

"Whose side are you on, Loki?"

Those blue eyes would swallow him whole.

Those green eyes would make him drown.

And they both would be each other's downfall.

"My own." There was a still silence, a deathly break, but after a moment Thor simply nodded and pulled away. Their hands slipped slowly away from each other, a lingering touch, tantalizing warmth a surrogate for the true fire of skin on skin. Loki watched with a chilled, sinking heart as Thor stood, tightened his fists, shook his head, nod, and leave out the green screen door Archie had exited from previously. Loki stared at the space Thor used to be.

Then at his hands.

How alone they looked, sitting on an old tabletop.

They had lost their protection.

* * *

Loki stood on the three steps just outside the kitchen. His hair was wet, and he ran a hand through it, trying to dry it from its previous showering experience.

Thor was bustling around the fields with Archie at his heels, and Loki didn't know whether to laugh or sigh at how loud Thor's voice carried. It was a wonder to him how no one had found them yet.

But, as emerald eyes tilted up to watch the rolling grey clouds, he knew exactly why:

They hadn't found them yet because something else was happening. Something else was coming that required all of Heimdall's concentration.

And Odin?

Where was he?

Idly fretting while finding his way back into Midgard. Loki supposed he had stood there for a while, more than ten minutes, before Thor's face had obscured his view and it took all of his will power not to shout and jump fretfully back.

"Scared of a little lightening?" Loki glared, his mouth pressed into a hard line at the familiar usage of those words. But then, seeing as Thor's smug grin was anything to go by, Loki's next words would have been ones Thor had heard as well.

"I am not terribly fond of what follows." It shouldn't have made Loki grin, seeing Thor's smile bloom further, but it did and immediately he turned and tried his best to wipe the warmth away from his face. He felt Thor's hand then, warm as ever on the side of his face. He stiffened under the touch.

"Loki…" The tone of Thor's voice made the younger god turn and face the older fully, no matter how much Loki longed to break contact with those eyes. "Archie has informed me that you have had nightmares…continuing from our first night here. Are they really so awful, that you cannot sleep?"

Loki felt his blood chill, the familiar shiver of fear run like spiders down his spine. He instantly felt as though he was being watched. He felt afraid. He must have shown it, given this emotion away because Thor's other hand came up and cupped his cheek, Thor's palm warm and comforting. Loki swallowed, hard before shrugging away, snarling under the caring touch.

"I do not need your consolidation. The nightmares are simply dreams of the past, bargains that I wish to forget-"

"And why can't you?" Thor's voice was almost as demanding as the darkening sky. "Why can't you forget?" Loki felt the rage of humiliation burn in him like acid, tearing through everything in his chest, burning away at his heart. As weak and pathetic as it sounded Loki ached for Thor's hands again, just so he could feel safe, so that he could feel protected. With a sharp shake of his head Loki bit his lip.

"I cannot forget the thing that promises to destroy me." Thor's eyes grew dark, wide and then narrow, and Loki recognized the look all too well: he was angry.

At the talk of threat Thor always was one to want it disabled immediately. It seemed he hadn't grown out of this trait entirely. Loki felt a small inkling of relief at that. He was worried that that _woman_ had changed him completely. It was relaxing to find that she hadn't.

But Thor stepped forward, aggressively so, until he was standing tall on the step beneath Loki, and for once the inch in their height difference did not matter. They now saw eye to eye. Loki almost laughed at the irony of it.

Almost.

"Who threatens you?" And when Loki didn't respond Thor's hand shot out, grip tightening harshly against Loki's forearm. "Who?"

"It is not of your concern!" Loki snarled, swatting his arm out of Thor's bruising grip. This did not seem to help Thor's frustration because the sky grew darker; Thor's eyes grew wilder. Loki's heart seemed to speed up with the darkening of the blue gaze.

"I care for you, Loki. I told you before that I would protect you. I will not go back on my word. Who is endangering your life?" When Loki was silent still Thor's hands clasped around the base of the tickster's neck, thumbs brushing against Loki's bottom lip, and the thunderer brought Loki's head down until their foreheads rested snug against each other.

Loki's hair was still wet, drops of water dripping down into Thor's eyes at the slightly bent angle.

Loki found his breath caught in his throat at Thor's close proximity and for a moment more he was frozen. Then, with all the strength he still held he opened his mouth and- a rumbling crack snapped both men apart. Thor's hands remained about Loki's jaw but their grip slackened immensely, long enough for Loki to step back into the doorway of the kitchen, heart pounding. But Thor's head was turned upward, eyes wide and searching and for a brief suffocating moment Loki feared the same thing Thor did: Were they finally here?

But all that followed was another deafly rumble a flash of light and the beginning drizzle of a rainstorm. Thor's hands fell away; his fingers brushing against the silky softness of Loki's hair, and Thor found himself turning away to further hide the blood that had rushed to his cheeks. It was a strange reaction, especially after he had just touched Loki, but he did not dwell on this as Loki's cool voice dripped like molasses about them.

"What, scared of a little storm?" And when Thor turned back around he saw something that he hadn't expected to see in a long, long time. Loki was smiling, a bittersweet grin that made his eyes crinkle slightly and his white teeth gleam. Thor was so taken aback by the intensity of it that when Archie approached and staggered his way back inside Thor didn't move until the rain had grown steady and he came in soaked to the bone. Loki took one look at the mighty god, drenched in water with tangled wild hair and boring, mortal clothes, and he laughed.

It was true, and pure, and filled with such innocent mirth that it was all Thor could do not to jump at the sound of it. It had been years, years since he had head Loki laugh like this, and the way Loki's face lit up, how his eyes slipped shut, how his cheeks flushed…it made Thor's heart ache. Because even he knew that this peace, this fleeting moment, fleeting seconds, of untainted peace would not last forever.

Archie started to whistle, Loki's laughter dying down, but the god's eyebrows pulled together and the grin was still evident on his lips when he gazed across at Thor with almost amused pity.

"You look so foolish, standing lost in such a wayward state!" And Thor responded with a deep chuckle, and he ran his fingers through wet tangled hair.

"You do not look much better."

"I am not the one drowned in rain." And as if on cue the rain struck the small farmhouse harder still, huge droplets smacking against the windows and slipping in through the holes in the screen behind Thor. Archie moved forward, still whistling, still humming a happy tune, as he reached behind Thor to pull a wooden door shut behind the screen.

And although the air about the house was cold, and dark, and wet the inside of the house was warm, and cheerful, and dry, and as Archie issued both men into his sitting room he lit a fire in the hearth, and Thor watched with admiration as Loki scooted close to the crackling flames. Loki's skin seemed to take on a warmer glow, a pinker edge, and Thor couldn't help turning his eyes out the window.

It didn't feel right, how the clouds could see in. So he stood and quickly closed the thick old blinds, blocking out the outside world before coming down and taking his place next to Loki.

Archie leaned back in an old armchair, one the color of lavender and plush, and he watched, with loving eyes, as Loki and Thor sat before the small fire, arguing in kind of traditions he was not familiar with. But, in the end, when the clock stroke midnight and Loki's eyes struggled to stay awake further, and Thor scooted subconsciously closer to catch the sleepy god's drooping head on his shoulder, Archie decided that he didn't have to understand.

If he could remain this happy he came to the conclusion that he would rather be confused from this point on.

"He asleep?" Archie asked, and Thor only nodded before bending down and picking Loki up.

"He never could stay up too late." Thor commented Loki's head cradled beneath his chin and shoulder. Thor stayed like that for a moment more, just relishing in the feel of Loki's body against his. If Loki were awake he would never allow this.

"He's softened up since he came here." Archie responded, taking a slow leisure sip of his milk. Thor tilted his head, watching as Loki's eyebrows creased together.

"He's having another nightmare." Thor whispered, unconsciously tightening his hold on the god in his arms.

"He get those a lot?" Thor didn't take his eyes off of Loki, instead choosing to watch as Archie's voice smoothed out the worry in his sleeping face.

"I would assume so." And Thor turned his head up, taking in the sight of Archie, old and withered but looking oh-so-happy in his over fluffed armchair. "I cannot thank you enough for what you have done. I am forever grateful." Archie laughed kindly, wise eyes twinkling before he nodded in favor.

"Goodnight, Thor. I'll see you in the mornin'."

Thor smiled his return and, Loki held snug in his arms, he began to climb the stairs. When he was nearly to the top Loki's arms came up, wrapping tight around his neck and pulling the prankster sleepily up.

Loki's nose nestled against the skin of Thor's neck and the thunderer hesitated in his movements, a low shiver creeping warm through his body. Loki let out a soft murmuring groan before his arms went slack and fell down and away again. Thor didn't move yet, one foot on the landing and the other on a step.

He tried desperately to control his hammering heart.

And even when Loki was placed into bed, and even when Thor sat on the edge and watched his calculated breaths, his heart still remained persistently pounding against his ribs.

And the thunder outside roared.

* * *

I found that it was time to bring up Loki and Thor's relationship a bit more. Hope it's not rushed, I wrote this late tonight and I can barely think straight. Actually, I can't think at all.

100+ reviews? HOLY SHIT. YOU GUYS ARE **AMAZING**. My love goes out to all of you wonderful people!

Liked it? Hated it? Loved it?

Thank you for reading! (:


	10. Chapter 10

_Disclaimer_||Obviously, I don't own anything. Frankly, I don't want to. Everything Marvel has done with this so far has been perfection.

_A/N_: Personally, I am not very well informed with all of the Sciences of Asgard, and the names, and the traditions, so I improvised.

-Please excuse any grammatical errors.

-Please review, it would make my day!

* * *

The sunrise was stunning.

Simply stunning.

And upon awaking with a throbbing head and hurting chest, Loki decided it was best to open the small window in his and Thor's room to better see the rising sun. In Asgard the sun was always too close, too blistering bright and uncanny. Here, in Midgard, it was perfect. There was a gently breeze, one that was pure and simple in the autumn air and Loki couldn't help but feel the urge to clamber out onto the gritty roof from the angle of the window. He slipped to his left and seated himself on the jutting flat bank, his feet dangling bare over the gutter filled with moist leaves.

Silently, blissfully, he watched the sun rise.

The sky grew a tinge of beautiful peachy orange, the sun a big ball of glowing fire, and the thin scattered assortment of clouds were pink against the colorful backdrop. The air smelled of rain, and Loki shifted some, the roof still slightly wet from the storm the night before. He decided he liked it up here, up high, with nothing in his sight but fields of corn and a dusty road miles away. In the back of his mind Loki wished he could stay here. Like this. Happy and healing and…_loved_.

Was that truly the appropriate word?

His toes tingled and his chest bloomed with excited warmth. It was only in the absence of company that he smiled. Yes, he thought, he supposed it was. The wind rippled by again, his hair carrassing whispers against the back of his neck, and the trees ruffled in the breeze. Loki closed his eyes and simply _felt_.

He didn't open them when he heard Thor rushing about their room, his quickened pace reading of panic. Loki couldn't help the snort of laughter. Thor didn't trust him yet. Not completely anyway. When Thor's steps became more hurried, more thunderous, Loki decided to spare him.

"I am on the roof." Thor's steps stopped immediately before starting up again, and only when Loki heard Thor struggling through the window opening did he decide to open his eyes once more. Silently he scooted over and Thor sat down heavily beside him.

"You frightened me." Thor confessed, breath slightly elevated and Loki turned sleepy eyes to the larger man besides him.

"That was not my intention. I simply wanted to watch the sun." Thor's eyebrows creased together, his blue eyes shining with relieved panic and slowly he turned his gaze before them. The orange was reflected in Thor's deep-set eyes, and Loki watched as the thunderer's mouth pulled up in an easy going grin. Thor whistled. It was a long, drawn out sound and Loki was slightly amused by it.

"That is lovely." Thor sighed, leaning back against the roof, his arms folding back behind his head. "How long have you been out here?" He questioned after a moment, and Loki turned to look back at Thor's stretched out form. He could almost see the individual muscles of Thor's stomach over the tightened fabric of his shirt. Loki looked away, blood pounding and chest surprisingly warm.

"You were really frightened." Loki whispered when the sun was about level with the tops of the trees. Thor seemed to stir, groaning some as he sat up again. His hand came up to scratch the side of his cheek. A habit he had developed when he was eight. He was nervous.

"I suppose I was." Those words shouldn't have made Loki feel so light. But they did and he tried to drown the feeling with indifference. It wasn't working. Especially when Thor turned to him and smiled, his eyes overly bright in the morning hues.

"Why?" Loki found himself asking, his voice shaking some, out of anxiety or fear he was unsure. Thor looked thoughtful, a mask of emotions flooding through his eyes. His face softened marginally and his hand came up, clasping Loki gently about the side of his neck.

"I thought I'd lost you again." And his voice was rough and sincere, and it made Loki's head swim and his heart burn. "I don't think I could deal with that again." And Thor's grip tightened and Loki must have done something revealing, something personally showing, because before he was aware Thor had shifted and pulled him desperately across the space between them. Loki fit snug into Thor's arms, and for a moment Loki was so taken by surprise that he didn't know quite what to do with his arms, which were hanging limply by his sides. Thor had both arms about Loki's back, pulling the smaller god flush against him, and Loki rested his chin on Thor's broad shoulder.

He could feel himself shaking and Thor's grip tightened, protective, and absolute.

"Thor…" The fabric of Thor's shirt muffled his words, and he could feel Thor's stubble against his ear. Thor dipped his head down, setting it gently against Loki's own slouched shoulder.

"Loki, promise me something." Loki braced himself for the words to come. "Promise me that if you are feeling sad, or scared, or alone, that you will come to me and allow me to hold you close." Loki was frightened now; truly he was, because he had never been so close to crying in Thor's presence before. Not since three nights ago.

And his arms no longer held themselves limp but tilted themselves upward, wrapping tight around Thor's thick neck.

And Loki cried.

He couldn't help it or else he would, and he buried his face into Thor's chest, shielding his pathetic show of cowardice from the gorgeous, brave sun. Thor's chin rested atop his head now, and one of his thick fingers ran comfortingly through Loki's dark hair. Loki was sure the front of Thor's shirt was ruined with his tears, and with a sniffling sob he desperately tried to regain control of himself once more.

"Why do all of this…for someone who threatened to destroy everything you cared for?" Loki cried, his voice nearly to the brink of yelling. He was frustrated, oh so very frustrated and confused, and hopelessly, _hopelessly_ infatuated. "I do not understand…"

"You would do the same for me." Thor whispered, and Loki stilled in his arms, wet eyes widening. Slowly he pulled back, his arms falling from around Thor's neck and instead placing themselves against his toned chest. Loki's frail fingers knotted into the fabric of Thor's shirt, and Thor regarded Loki with yielding, imploring eyes.

"Wouldn't you?" Loki found himself incapable of speech. He could only grip Thor's shirt tighter, breath harder, focus on not breaking down again. In the back of his mind he knew the answer. It was obvious after all.

"Yes, I…I believe I would." And when Thor smiled it was brighter than the sun.

* * *

"We were wondering, my lord, if you would grant us permission to go and search for them."

"In Midgard?"

"Yes, my lord." Odin sat tall in his throne, the Warriors Three and Lady Sif kneeling respectfully before him. Around them, the walls of the palace shook. Another rumble sounded. Odin grew wary.

"Heimdall will send you, if you can get to him without casualties. Thor is needed here to fight, and Loki…they will leave if we return him to them."

* * *

Archie shivered.

Whether it was due to the chilled breeze or something else entirely he had no idea. He only felt as though something was dwelling, ominous and whole over the fragile peace that remained.

He cast a brown gaze over to where Thor was showing Loki the proper look of ripe corn. He smiled warmly over to them. It had been almost a week of their company and he had not grown wary of them yet. In fact, he liked Thor's loud, caring manner, Loki's withdrawn softening light. Decided, he shuffled over to them, bucket of cornhusks in hand.

"Boys, you want to see somethin'?" Thor looked up brightly, expectantly, and Loki seemed only slightly annoyed when Archie took the peeled corn from him. The old man gestured past the field to a small stretch of woods, just a couple yards from the back of the house.

"There's a nice spot, a couple ways back into the forest there. You just walk straight and you can find it. I need some room to prepare lunch, so why don't you boys go busy yourself with some sightseeing for an hour or two?" Thor nodded warmly, taking Loki by the wrist and dragging him along.

Archie watched until they made it past the first line of trees before whistling a light tune and returning into the small house to prepare lunch.

* * *

The dirt crunched beneath Thor's boots as he walked, hand still strapped firmly about Loki's wrist.

The light that shone through the trees was bright and revealing, and Loki often found himself gazing up through the leafy foliage. If it was for Thor's leading hand then he was certain he would be lost by now. The sound of birds singing reached their ears, and they sang such pretty, lullaby tunes that when the trees cleared and the hills turned small Thor and Loki were taken aback by the beauty that lay before them.

The grass here was brilliantly green, the sky robin egg blue in contrast and as Loki looked around all he could see was the expanse of emerald. Thor's grip on his wrist slowly fell away and the taller of the two stepped forward, eyes wide and mouth slightly parted.

"It's so peaceful." Loki commented, moving past Thor to climb a two-foot hill. Gently he sat himself down upon it. Thor joined him after a moment, head tilted up to the sky. Loki's eyes seemed downcast, tired, and fighting, and Thor kept a cautious gaze on him until the sun seemed to loose its brightness.

They sat in silence for a while, until Thor couldn't stand it anymore. Hesitantly, because he felt he should do or say something, he reached over and took Loki's hand. It was cold and pale, but Thor's warmed it quickly enough. The light returned back to Loki's eyes and that alone was enough. Loki swallowed, his eyebrows pulling together, and tightly he pulled away from Thor and stood. The thunderer watched his movements; suddenly worried he had done something to upset him.

"Loki, forgive me if I-"

"You have not seen my true self, have you, Thor?" Thor stilled immediately, his muscles tensing at the cynical depth of Loki's words. "That is how you can stand me, because you have not truly seen." And when Loki lifted his eyes they were burdened and changing. Darkening. Thor felt on edge, watching with growing fear as Loki's skin seemed to change, seemed to fade and blue.

And blue it did, up to Loki's forehead, and those eyes that were once so green bled red. Thor found himself rooted to the hill, unable to move no matter how much he longed too. Loki looked so helpless, so disgusted with himself, and he gave a short bitter laugh to the expression Thor's face held.

"Revolting, aren't I?" Loki had never looked so vulnerable. Thor rose cautiously to his feet, taking one slow step at a time until he stood before Loki, only inches apart. He lifted his hands and gently, as though Loki would break beneath his touch, he cupped Loki's face between his hands. Loki's flesh was cold, frightfully so, and Thor couldn't help the shiver that traveled down his spine. The blue of Loki's skin seemed to melt at his touch, the pink coming back into place of blue. Loki stared impassive up at Thor, fear swirling deep in the depths of his pupils.

"I could never find you revolting." Thor argued, head tilting slightly in slight disbelief. "No matter what form you took."

A smile crept its way across Loki's features, soft and flattering, and Thor's heart seemed to leap with a startlingly jolt upon its appearance. He felt in that instant that he was unable to tear his gaze from Loki's, which his hands refused to budge against Loki's warming skin. And slowly, before he was aware of what exactly he was doing he was leaning forward, testing the bounds, knowing nothing but the fire burning in his chest, of the blood pounding in his ears, the flutter of Loki's dark lashes as his head tilted up-

And a rumbling crack broke them apart.

They stood for a moment, unsure and startled, at the clouds that gathered and swirled above them. Thor felt a sinking feeling in his stomach. It looked all too familiar. He turned to Loki, whose eyes were wide and heart was racing.

"Loki, you must listen to me." Thor urged, voice rising louder above the crackling of lightening above them. "You must r-" But Thor never would finish. And Loki never would hear the rest.

Because both gods stood, shocked and stilled, at the Asgardians standing tall in the middle of the field.

* * *

I don't know why I decide to write the best parts of this story when I can barely think straight. Ah, well, I hope it turned out alright. Thank you all for reviewing, it means the world! (:

Liked it? Hated it? Loved it?

Thank you for reading! (:


	11. Chapter 11

_Disclaimer_||Obviously, I don't own anything. Frankly, I don't want to. Everything Marvel has done with this so far has been perfection.

_A/N_: Personally, I am not very well informed with all of the Sciences of Asgard, and the names, and the traditions, so I improvised.

-Please excuse any grammatical errors.

-Please review, it would make my day!

* * *

It was startlingly, for Sif, to have seen Thor and Loki so close, their arms about one another, their bodies leaning, pressing forward.

It made her unconditionally angry, and that rage burned like a raging fire in her veins. But she swallowed those feelings down whole, and with a swish of a black ponytail and clanking of armor she took a determined step forward. The Warriors three and four guards stood back some, leaving Sif to try and make this as diplomatic as possible.

"Thor." She started, eyes shifting warily to Loki. "Please step away from him." Thor never was one to listen and Sif almost gaze a heated groan of irritation when he all but stepped between Loki and her.

"He's changed, Sif. He's the Loki we once knew." She couldn't help the sarcastic laugh at that, hand tightening some on the handle of her spear. She could hear Fandral snicker in disbelief behind her.

"He truly has bewitched you, if you are spotting such nonsense!" The anger was there in her voice now, spiteful and cruel, and her dark eyes bore into Loki's green ones.

"I do not expect you to understand immediately," Thor began, taking a small step forward, "But if you would just let-"

"Enough!" She shouted, her words breaking off in a sort hysteric chuckle. "Enough of this foolery." She scoffed, spear raising some, further up. "Please Thor, step aside, we do not wish to fight you." And upon her words the gods behind her all raised their weapons, all held them high and Thor had never felt so betrayed. His eyes searched his friend's faces helplessly, but no one seemed fond of believing.

"It seems you may not have the option." Thor roared, and, because the portal between two worlds still remained open, he held out his hand to the skies and felt the overall upcoming rush of battle when the lightening cracked and Mjolnir was a heavy, familiar weight in his hands.

His armor still remained in the house, along besides Loki's, and he desperately wished to have them now. But this wasn't like when he was banished, when his armor reappeared because he had unlocked it again. This time he had always had his power, and he was hopelessly unprotected. He gave a snarl, hating every moment of this. He felt Loki's hand, a comforting pressure against his arm and he turned to look back at him.

"We are outnumbered, and I am afraid I will not be of much help. My magic has yet to return fully to me. Thor," And he spoke this last part urgently, "We must go."

"We can't just run away-"

"We **must**." Thor stared into Loki's eyes, wide and demanding, and he gave a frustrated snarl before raising Mjolnir into the skies once more.

"Than I will at least make a suitable distraction." The lightening crashed down with Thor's arm, and the booming light and upturning of the earth blinded the Asgardians before them. The field before them was being destroyed, and Thor felt the guilt at having done so heavy in his chest.

"Forgive me, my friends." He whispered, before he wrapped his arm about Loki's slender waist, pulled him close, and, swinging Mjolnir to get the proper friction, he took them up, over the trees and away from the lightening chaos. They crashed in the cornfield, miles up from where they were, and Thor grasped Loki tight as they tumbled against the green stalks.

Dirt covered their skin and blotted their hair and Loki stumbled to his feet, his head pounding, but he took Thor's arm and pulled him up. Staggering, they ran fast, quickly up to Archie's farmhouse and burst through the screen door. They needed their armor, and that was all. They had no time for goodbyes.

But they almost knocked Archie over on their way in, and the old man looked older beyond his years. In his hands he held a green duffle bag, one that he seemed to be struggling with, and Thor took it from his arms gently.

"Your clothes." Archie explained, smiling softly up at the dirt-covered gods. "I had a feelin' you boys would be leaving today. Too soon in my opinion but," He shrugged his bony shoulders, "Well, I had a lovely week." Thor felt his throat tighten, his eyes prick and he gave a generous smile before patting Archie thankfully on the shoulder.

"We shall always be grateful of your services." But they had to go; the lightening had ceased its call. Loki stepped forward, eyeing Archie with a thoughtful sadness, before he smiled his simple thanks and departed out the door with Thor. Loki cast one last fleeting glance to the farmhouse, to the white wood, to Archie standing small in the doorway.

He would be lying if he said he wouldn't miss it. But Thor was pulling him close again, and he wrapped his arms instinctively about his neck, before with a startlingly jolt they were up again and rushing away.

The wind roared in their ears and Loki buried his face into Thor's neck, his grip tightening. Thor held the duffle bag in his other hand, the weight of their armor reassuring, and they only stopped to land when the sun was beginning to sink down once more against the velvet violet sky. They stood on the outskirts of a simple motel, one that held a flickering neon sign and sagging letters. Thor took the duffle bag and opened it up, brushing his fingers against the course fabric of their clothes. And he spotted something else, paper; it seemed wedged into one of the many inner pockets. Warily he pulled it out and felt his heart ache.

"What is it?" Loki questioned, stepping forward to peer into the casing.

"Money." Thor croaked, biting his lip in preannounced sadness. "I will miss him." He concluded, tucking Mjolnir into the bag along with their armor and zipping it up again. Loki didn't respond as they approached the motel, both unsure exactly how one was supposed to sign in but found it simple enough once they were inside. It had grown dark quickly, and Loki sat himself tiredly on the small bed in their room. The springs creaked some beneath his weight and he was just thankful that he looked Midgardian, covered in dirt and grime.

No one had recognized them yet. In truth he had almost forgotten what hiding away felt like. Thor was pacing about the room, he couldn't seem to sit still, and as the moon rose luminous and tall above the trees Loki couldn't help the stirrings of annoyance in his chest.

"Must you do that?" He snapped, slightly harsher than he had meant, but Thor didn't cease his quickened steps. It looked as though the thunderer was struggling with something, and when his pace grew more frantic Loki stood, vexed, and crossed his arms demanding over his chest.

"Thor-"

"What would I have done?" Thor's voice was broken, just above a whisper, and the sudden question made Loki falter in his command that Thor stop his infernal pacing. Loki blinked, watching as Thor's steps grew agitated.

"I do not understand." Thor ran a large hand through the tangles in his hair, and to Loki's dismay his eyes were hidden by shadows.

"What would I have done in the field…if we were uninterrupted?" Loki's heart froze, his blood rushed to his face. He slowly uncrossed his arms, and sat himself slowly down upon the bed.

"I am not responsible for you actions." He decided on saying and that seemed to upset Thor all the more, because he turned jarringly to a halt to stand before Loki. His countenance looked strained.

"What would we have done, if we were not interrupted?" His voice was more pressing, more urgent, and Loki felt cornered. He hated it.

"I do not know." He decided on saying, because he really couldn't stand the position Thor was placing him in. Thor decided he didn't like that answer, and instead he leaned forward, hands on either side of Loki's hips. The smaller god felt his heart skip a beat at Thor's closeness, at the burning in his eyes. He felt frozen in place.

"Would it have been wrong, Loki?" He whispered, and his breath was sweet and heavy across Loki's face. Something about those words made Loki's heart shake. He swallowed.

"No." He whispered, voice rough and dry, and _pleading_. "No." He repeated again, because he felt the need to say it twice more. Something in Thor seemed to click into place, then, seemed to charge some sort of change, because before Loki could expand on the grounds of why this wasn't wrong, on how the only thing wrong about this situation was that he was a fugitive destined to die, Thor had leaned forward and had gently, oh so gently, pressed his lips against Loki's. It was chaste, kiss, soft and testing, and when Thor pulled back he seemed slightly elevated, unbelieving at the jolt of fire such a simple kiss could bring. Loki's hands were shaking, from eagerness or excitement he was unsure, but he raised them nonetheless to hold Thor's face.

It seemed the breath was knocked from them; they had no words to say. But Loki regained his footing, even out his thundering heart. Gingerly, he smiled.

"Over the years of my life Thor, you are the only one who has ever loved me."

The air changed then, turned slightly more erratic and when Thor leaned down again the kiss was more expected, more forthcoming and urgent. And this time Loki had the chance to press back, to return the kiss, and, experimentally, their lips moved against each other's. This kiss was different than the one Thor had shared with Jane. With her it was desperation, and pleading hope, but with Loki it was something more, it was something true, something loving, something _strong_.

Loki's lips were soft and precise in their movements, and Loki's fingers soon found themselves threaded into Thor's hair as the kiss grew more passionate, more urgent, and Thor slowly began to press Loki back against the itchy motel duvet. Their breaths grew shortened, their heart rates spiked, and Thor's hands held a bruising grip on Loki's waist, holding him firmly against him and in place. Loki let out a soft whimper at the friction their bodies caused, the way Thor's lips parted and his tongue made its way into Loki's mouth. It had been a while, Loki decided, since he had felt this alive, and, moving against Thor, breathing him in, tasting him was…_overwhelming_.

Gently, he placed his hands on Thor's chest and pushed him back.

Their lips disconnected and Thor sat back, breathing heavily, pupils blown wide, pulse rate accelerated. His cheeks were flushed, and he delicately wiped a strand of raven hair off Loki's face. Loki's cheeks were dusted pink, the color working brilliantly with his eyes and Thor wanted nothing more than to kiss his swollen lips again. But he couldn't push his luck. Loki was still healing; he didn't want to shatter that process.

"Forgive me, Thor, but I can't-"

"It's all right." Thor urged, leaning up and off of Loki. Already he missed his warmth. Loki's eyes followed him warily, and when Thor kicked off his boots and shirt, and crawled beside Loki in the bed once more, Loki seemed to visibly relax. Immediately Thor pulled him close, listened as his heart rate steadied, and held him long after the sun had come up the next morning.

* * *

Thank you all for reviewing, it means the world! (:

Liked it? Hated it? Loved it?

Thank you for reading! (:


	12. Chapter 12

_Disclaimer_||Obviously, I don't own anything. Frankly, I don't want to. Everything Marvel has done with this so far has been perfection.

_A/N_: Personally, I am not very well informed with all of the Sciences of Asgard, and the names, and the traditions, so I improvised.

-Please excuse any grammatical errors.

-Please review, it would make my day!

* * *

They had traveled swiftly in two days. In a small town just off the course of Louisville they had found a small bed and breakfast joint, at which placed they destined their next stay. Thor couldn't help but notice that after each place they left Loki would grow more agitated, more downcast, and he would flinch away from Thor's touches of comfort. It was nerve-wracking, to see Loki so riled.

They were low on money. This would be the last place they could afford and as Thor studied about the room Loki stood still with a shadowed countenance. Storm clouds seemed to follow them wherever they went, and it was no surprise when the rain began to beat heavily against the windows.

Thor saw Loki stiffen at the sound. Wordlessly he pulled their armor from the duffle bag and set it by the foot of the bed. He stopped and stared when Loki's eyes followed his movements with accurate precision.

"Just in case." Thor explained and Loki remained silent. Thor gave a deep sigh, turning and walking over to Loki, remaining at arms length but still close enough that he could feel Loki's warmth.

"What ails you?" He muttered, and when Loki still did not respond he stepped closer and cupped Loki's face in his hands. The green eyes fluttered at the touch, a light dusting of pink dotted pale cheeks, and Loki leaned forward, body pressing up against Thor's chest.

"I'm tired." Loki whispered, head tilting to stare deep at Thor. "I'm tired of running. I feel so weak, and it's aggravating, to watch you sink this low with me…"

"I do not mind." Thor assured, lips landing a soft kiss against the skin of Loki's forehead.

"We can not run forever," Loki stated, words faltering some as Thor's lips danced along the sharp edge of his jaw. "We will soon have to fight." And Thor nodded against his neck, grip sliding from his cheeks to instead wrap around the whole of Loki's lithe frame.

"I will stand by you." Thor urged, and all Loki needed to do was tilt his head before their lips found each other's once more. It started slow, slow and steady, before Loki gripped tightly at the front of Thor's shirt, urging him closer and in doing so pulling the thunderer flush against him. Their legs grew entangled and Thor fell back upon the bed, Loki crawling deviously over him and not once breaking the kiss. Thor's lips parted and Loki's followed suit, Thor's tongue slipping easily past Loki's soft pink lips.

A spark like lightning shot through Thor at the contact and he moaned helplessly, their tongues winding together in a bout of heated passion. Loki's hands tightened their hold onto Thor, his hips moving mindlessly against Thor's own, and the pressure that was slowly building up in the coiling pits of their stomachs was enough to set them both on fire. Soon their clothes became nothing but a barrier, a wasted space and Loki pulled frantically at Thor's shirt, fingers trembling with the overall feel of fire.

Thor's hands cupped Loki's hips and with a rough twist he had shifted their positions, Loki laying out beautifully beneath him, cheeks flushed, chest heaving, and eyes blown black with intense arousal. Thor lost his breath at the sight. Quickly Loki discarded his own shirt as well, throwing it mindlessly across the room as Thor pressed against him once more.

They both moaned soft sighs of relief at the feel of skin on skin, and the heat that burned in Loki's core made him squirm, his legs coming up and wrapping tightly about Thor's waist.

"Thor…" He gasped helplessly, hands tangling themselves through golden strands of hair. Thor looked down at him longingly, their trousers suddenly too much in the way as well but to remove them, to take that next step, was in all honesty terrifying, no matter how badly they both wanted it. Loki swallowed, his throat suddenly very dry, and his grip tightened all the more, breath fanning across Thor's flushed complexion.

"Thor," He repeated, his name heavy with desire. "Thor, I need you." Thor had to stifle a whimper at his words, had to fight against the all too persistent heated throbbing of his arousal.

"Are you certain?" His voice was strained and Loki's eyes searched his, kiss-swollen lips turning up into the purest of smiles.

"We might not get tomorrow." He whispered, grief a heavy undertone of his words and gaze and Thor wanted nothing more than to erase that pain from Loki's mind completely. He pressed another hard kiss to Loki's lips before untangling himself from Loki's grasp. He'd never done anything like this before but he knew the mechanics of it, and with a pounding heart and reeling mind he slipped into the bathroom to retrieve the small bottle of complementary oil on the far end of the sink.

He returned to Loki and placed the bottle aside, ghosting over the smaller frame bellow him. Suddenly Thor was drastically aware of how fragile Loki's body seemed, how pure and unblemished, and while his wrists still held white puffed scars there was really no other indication on him. Gently he removed Loki's trousers and then his own, too scared to actually look anywhere except for the anxious glow of Loki's face. Loki's hands came up, his palms slick with sweat, and gingerly he cupped Thor's face in his hands.

Gently he brought Thor's head down for a fleeting kiss. Thor fumbled with the small bottle; lid popping up smoothly, and the light oil smelled like lavender as he coated his fingers.

The liquid was slick and he coaxed Loki's legs apart, blood drumming hard in his ears as he circled the outside of Loki's entrance. A small nod urged him forward and he pushed the first finger in. Immediately Loki tightened around the intrusion, and the sharp intake of breath from Loki's mouth made Thor stop his ministrations.

"Did I hurt you?" Loki shook his head, inky strands of hair splaying across his face, and he looked so beautiful in the fading light, with the rain as background noise and his toes curling and back arching.

"Continue." He demanded, although his voice was a shaky wheeze. Thor kissed the bends of Loki's legs before pushing his finger in deeper, up to the knuckle and he gave Loki time to adjust before pushing in another. His middle finger slipped in with ease, and while Loki's fingers knotted into the covers of the sheets the whimper that escaped his parted lips was not one of pain.

Thor's throat seemed impossibly tight, his stomach burning with heat and his erection throbbing for the want of Loki's heat. He scissored his fingers and watched with growing need as Loki's face contorted, breath hitching and eyes squeezing shut, his lashes dark shadows on the hollows of his flushed cheeks.

"Thor…" Loki ground out, teeth clenched and pulse racing. "I'm ready." Thor's heart stopped at those words and he nodded even though he knew Loki couldn't see. He felt so nervous, so inexperienced but he positioned himself over Loki and after lathering himself with the rest of the oil he gently, oh so very gently, began to push in.

Loki's arms wrapped about his back, his nails digging into the skin covering his shoulder blades, and the mix of pain and pleasure made Thor give out a strangled groan as he pushed inside completely. He gasped, totally unprepared for the tight heat, for the way his legs shook and his back caved in. Loki let out a muffled cry, nails digging deeper and head snapping back.

Thor would think Loki would have wanted to stop if it wasn't for the feel of Loki's hardened want against him that reminded him he needed to move. His mind was too fogged with pleasure for him to think.

"Move." Loki commanded, mouth attaching to the small dip of Thor's neck and shoulder. "Move." He repeated, voice more demanding than before and Thor pulled out, and rammed back in again. White exploded before Loki's vision and made his ears ring, and he gave a breathless moan before his legs came up, wrapping themselves about Thor's waist and pulling him in deeper.

Their bodies were burning, ablaze with an invisible fire, and Thor's hips seemed to have a mind of their own as he pulled out and then rammed back in, again and again, until his movements were erratic and their breaths were frightfully short. Loki's lips traveled up to Thor's and he claimed them with a sloppy kiss, too wrapped up in the overwhelming surge of desire to even care about kissing properly.

Loki was so terribly hot, so terribly tight, that Thor found himself nearing completion before he could really think otherwise. With a shaking hand he reached between them, taking Loki in his hand and pumping him generously with his thrusts. The noises Loki made were enough to send him tumbling over, and when his name fell from those prefect lips he did let himself go. Loki followed soon after, their hot seeds making their stomachs slick and dirty but neither seemed to care as Thor fell against Loki's steadying chest.

They lay in each other's arms, Thor listening to the calming beats of Loki's pounding heart. The rain still dropped outside, and the air about them seemed so cold against their sweat-coated bodies. But Loki's arms were warm and Thor couldn't find the heart to even want to move. Loki's thin, pale fingers played absently with his hair and Thor's grip tightened about him possessively. Slowly, Thor raised himself up, hands on either side of Loki's shoulders, and Thor found that all he could really do was stare.

"You're beautiful." He whispered, voice rough and hoarse, and Loki just smiled lazily up at him before pulling him down in a lasting, chaste kiss. They stayed quiet for a while until the need to be clean washed over them, and Thor swooped Loki up into his arms and carried him to the bathroom, the warmth of the shower nice against their skin and the parades of Loki's small laughs were all Thor needed in the world. He could think that with utter confidence.

* * *

"I should give myself up." Loki whispered, lips brushing against Thor's jaw with each word. It was morning, and Loki's words were a surprise as Thor moved from the fields of sleep to wakefulness. "Would that not be easier? You have done far too much for me already, weeks in…is more than I can stand." Thor's grip tightened, his nails digging into Loki's shoulders. He was certain his grip was bruising but if Loki was in pain he showed no sign of it.

"Why do you say such things?" Thor mulled, shifted up into a sitting position on the bed.

"Because I am tired of lying. " Loki sighed, burrowing his nose into the junction of Thor's neck and shoulder. "I am tired of running from the truth. I deserve death." Thor jerked Loki up, green eyes level with blue, and he just stared, transfixed at Loki's beseeching expression.

"Tell me you are not serious." Loki's gaze didn't leave Thor's, not once, and when he brought his forehead to rest against the thunderer's he shivered in Thor's warm arms. Loki's hands came up, fingers drawing light patterns into the heated skin of Thor's chest. His nails made a trail goose bumps rise up over Thor's flesh.

"Sometimes I would like to think I am." And Loki's voice was heavy with grief. Thor shook his head vehemently, and when Loki opened his mouth to speak further Thor stopped his words with a hot open-mouthed kiss. A muffled noise of surprise stuck in the back of Loki's throat, and the Loki's body stiffened in momentary alarm. But when Thor's lips demanded his move he relaxed, melted in and arched fuller against Thor. The kiss was heated, passionate, and for a moment Loki forgot the words he was confessing. Thor pulled away, only just, and opened his eyes to once more read Loki's. The warmth that had pooled in his chest was viscous, and he tried desperately not to dwell on this as Loki's lips turned up into a flawless grin.

"You're not playing fair…when you interrupt me like that." His voice was a low purr, a velvet sound of teasing desire and when Thor leaned forward Loki tilted back, head turning slightly to the side. Thor gave an impatient growl before his hand caught the back of Loki's head and their mouths were attacking each other again, a fit of dominating, primal fury. Their breaths mingled, ragged and short, and Loki's hands tangled themselves almost violently into Thor's golden hair. Loki's legs came up, wrapping about Thor's waist and pulling him closer down, the perfect amount of friction rubbing daunting release on their arousals. And with that the kiss grew softer, more earnest, and when Thor pulled away to plant a light kiss to Loki's nose there was something deeper than lust swimming in both their eyes.

It was a dangerous disadvantage, love, because it dulls the senses and makes the mind jumbled. Its what distracted both gods from the lightening rumbling outside. They should have heard it, hell the whole of the area heard it, but Loki was too preoccupied with the hot touches of Thor's hands, and Thor was far beyond the realm of rational thinking with Loki's lips against his jugular.

They should have heard the warning signs-but they didn't.

Not until the familiar voices of the Warriors Three were heard muffled outside the walls. And Loki froze, panic and all out terror made his lips turn to ice. Thor pulled back abruptly, hands still wrapped around Loki's waist and he pulled him up too, their armor laying abandoned by the foot of the bed. They had it on soon enough, and when Loki stumbled over to the other side of their small room, looking for a way to quietly slip open the latch of the window a timid shaking female voice called out:

"Thor?" The air in the room seemed to be sucked away with the name and by the widening of Thor's eyes and the pallor of his features Loki could visualize all too well who it could be. His eyes darted to Thor's, imploring, scared, and Thor stumbled towards him, desperation written rough into every line of his features.

"Loki, whatever may happen here today never doubt that I love you." It was those words that had Loki's mind reeling into a fog. Thor held out his hand, Mjolnir flying swiftly into his palm, and Thor cast him one last fleeting glance before the door to their room shattered open, wood splintering through the air. The harshness of the morning light stung their eyes and Loki had to blink blindly to try and clear his vision. He saw Fandral first, face grim and matching the expression of Volstagg and Hogun. Sif just looked smug. And the fear grew all the more alive when a woman, slender and elegant in her grace stood alongside the Warriors hesitantly. Loki did not recognize her but Thor did, and upon the woman seeing him she burst into tears.

"Oh! Oh…" She seemed to be struggling to speak, the air knocked from her upon the sight of the thunderer. She managed to dash forward, her long brown hair flying like silk behind her and when she threw her arms about Thor's neck Loki could do nothing but give away to the numbness of jealous shock. Thor didn't seem to know what to do, his hands falling limp and Mjolnir crashing to the beige ratty carpet on the floor. The woman was standing on the tips of her toes, sobbing blindly into Thor's armored chest.

"I thought I'd lost you!" She cried, grip tightening about him. "I thought you were gone! After what happened in New York I…" And she stopped, suddenly, carefully, and slowly disentangled herself from him. Her eyes were fixed upon Loki now, and the timid air in which she carried before seemed to burn away at the sight of him. There was fear and rage, all masked in her eyes and she turned up to Thor once more.

"Why is he with you?" She gasped, and Thor's mouth opened, then closed and he shook his head roughly before saying:

"He is under my protection, Jane."

_Ah._

The jealousy was like the finest poison, working through Loki's veins like a sick fire. He felt nauseous, hollow, when knowing that the woman with her arms about Thor was the mortal female he was once so infatuated with. He could throw up, he decided, or just throw her out the window.

The latter seemed much more appeasing but…uncharacteristically he found himself thinking of the consequences. He would loose Thor. And he couldn't bear that.

Fandral stepped in, around Jane and Thor and instead headed straight towards Loki. Sif was behind him, the familiar dreaded metal cuffs in her hands. Loki twisted his fingers, desperately wishing for his magic. He felt a spark, a simple fire but it was gone before it had fully formed and by then it was too late.

Hogun appeared behind him, a swift crushing blow to the head and Loki crumpled to the floor. Thor broke from Jane's grasp, rushed forward only to have his arm grabbed by Jane once more.

"What are you doing?" She whispered, her voice cracking, her brown eyes widening. "You know what he did to Eric, what he tried to do to New York. Why are you protecting a murderer?" Thor only saw the sickening of red and then the loathing self-disgust for ever wishing to lay a hand on Jane. But nevertheless he moved forward, hesitating slightly when Fandral and Hogun raised their weapons.

"Please Thor, let's not do this now. If you raise Mjolnir against us you'll be hurting more than just the majority of this building." And when he felt the needlepoint, sharp and cold against his neck and he couldn't help dropping to his knees, Jane's hands hovering about him.

"I'm sorry." He heard her saying, repeating it over and over again as his vision swam and his muscles spasmed. The corners of his vision were fading, darkening, and he could see Loki before him, lying motionless and utterly still. Shaking, he reached out his hand; trying to see if he could touch him, get to him.

Loki was already slipping from his grasp.

"I'm sorry."

* * *

Thank you all for reviewing, it means the world! (:

Liked it? Hated it? Loved it?

Thank you for reading! (:


	13. Chapter 13

_Disclaimer_||Obviously, I don't own anything. Frankly, I don't want to. Everything Marvel has done with this so far has been perfection.

_A/N_: Personally, I am not very well informed with all of the Sciences of Asgard, and the names, and the traditions, so I improvised.

-Please excuse any grammatical errors.

-Please review, it would make my day!

* * *

It was funny how empty he felt.

Laughable almost.

[Keyword]: almost.

Because when Thor finally managed to open his eyes the two faces staring down at him weren't laughing.

They were grim.

His eyelids felt heavy, he could only make of blurs, spots of random colors and dreary sounds. His fist opened and closed against his chest. Hollow. He felt hollow. Terribly sore, and terribly alone. But he wasn't alone; there were people beside him, voices and warm skin, and sweet happenings. His throat was sore, raw and when he swallowed it felt sticky and stinging.

A lightweight pressed against his clammy forehead, soft and reassuring in its poise.

"…hours. He'll be back to himself in about fifteen minutes."

"What'd you stab him with anyway?" The hand flittered carefully down to his cheek, wiping lovingly at his skin.

"The woman gave it to me." Was the soft reply, a gentle dancing of words on open air. There was silence once more, and Thor became aware of the ringing deep in his ears. He rubbed his head against the plush surface beneath him to try and rid himself from it. He closed his eyes, the light becoming too much for him.

"Where…?" He slurred, his words moving slowly together like molasses, "Where am I?" There was some movement, nervous fidgeting, and Thor brought his shaking hands up to rub vulnerably at his eyes. They still burned, felt swollen, but he managed to open them again and the bright light came flooding back. Head spinning he tried to sit himself up, back bumping against a hard headboard. Confused his fingers found purchase on an itchy duvet, a creaky mattress, the smell of new shoes. He was in a motel.

"Hey, it's great to see you again. Jane was really bitching about you disappearing and everything…" Darcy's loud, blunt voice rammed against Thor's eardrums and he tried to swat her words away like he would a fly. But she continued to talk, her red lips and dark hair beginning to come into focus as she neared the bed, around Jane who was sitting near his head.

"Darcy, calm down, he's still not-"

"Where is Loki?" Both women seemed to freeze at that and he could hear Darcy say a curse and a sigh before moving slowly back to stand by the window.

Jane smiled sadly down at him, her fingers moving to his hair to play with the individual stands.

He remembered Loki doing something similar, his long fingers winding in the most easing of ways. With Jane her nails scraped some against his scalp and the slight tremor in her wrist made her motions uncomforting.

Their lack of voice made Thor's heart turn to ice and he quickly pushed forward, Jane's grasp falling from his head. With ears ringing and vision playing in and out of focus he stumbled from the bed, Darcy's hands catching him around the arms before he could fall completely.

"Whoa, hold on there big guy-" But Thor shook her away, instead opting for charging toward the door and swinging it roughly open. The latch broke with a screech and the chain fell like a dead snake to the carpeted floor. Jane was on her feet in an instant, worry and shock filling her every move as she walked closer, arms outstretched.

"Thor, what are you doing?" The panic in her voice portrayed all and with a tired groan Thor stepped outside into the rain. He was soaked in an instant, the cold water awaking him with a jolt, and he stood still in the presence of it for a moment, letting the cool wash away the pounding in his head.

"Thor!" Jane called again, voice resonating from the doorway. "Thor, it's pouring! Come back inside! You still need to rest!"

"Where is he?" Thor roared, the thunder crashing with his words, the lightening striking chaotic before them. The white flash illuminated the wild anger in Thor's eyes, the stoic shock in Darcy's and while he didn't wish to scare them now really wasn't the time to be careful of such feelings.

"Where is he?" Thor repeated, rain drumming down hard upon his head. Something in Jane seemed to break and she snapped, stepping outside roughly into the rain. It plastered her hair in chestnut colored streaks across her face, making her mascara run in black wash away tears down her cheeks. She stopped, shivering before him, eyes upturned and body tensed.

"Why do you care?" She called, her voice almost drowned completely by the storm. "He's killed hundreds of people, he's a murderer! Why do you care about him so much?" And there was more than just agonizing truth to her words, there was envy too, and Thor strained to hear her small voice over the rain against his armor, against the slick gravel. He could see Mjolnir, sitting where he had dropped it hours (has it been hours? Or days?) ago by the door. Time seemed to catch up with him, it's hands long and darkly unforgiving, and Thor shook his head in frustration.

"He is my world, Jane." Thor reasoned, eyes squinting to better see her frail figure in the dark. "And he has finally seen sense. Please. What will they do to him?" Jane looked undecided, her eyes blinking in disbelief, her gaze dropping to her feet. Thor's hand came up, cupping her cheek, tried to warm her chilled flesh.

"You are kind, Jane." Thor urged, the wind picking up its frantic tirade through their hair. "You know truth when you see it. I know this of you. Please answer me." Her hand came up, small and slender, to grasp his. Something about her hand reminded Thor of Loki and his heart ached; it _bled_ against the pounding of the rain. Her eyes rested sad upon his, wide and wet, from rain or tears or both Thor could not tell. But she seemed to stumble in her mind and she stretched herself up, planting her lips firmly against his.

It was an action that used to make his blood warm, his body want. But now he felt nothing but the cold, wet flesh of her lips against his own.

There was no warmth in this.

He did not push her away, no, she needed this, but his lips did not move with hers as they once did, they did not answer her unspoken questions. They remained still. The kiss was sad. And, sensing the wrong Jane pulled away, face contorted into something of desperate pain. Now he could tell her tears from the droplets of water and he the guilt scratched him below the surface. Struggling she bit her lip, hands slipping off of his shoulders.

"You love him." She confirmed, and the rumbling of thunder overhead was the only answer she received. Thor stayed silent, and waited until Jane's eyes found his again.

"He's back on Asgard. I'm not sure what they're going to do. They didn't tell me much, only that…that I'd be able to see you." Her voice was so weak, so fragile, and the guilt continued its raging until Thor held out his hand and Mjolnir flew safe and stead fast into his palm. Jane smiled limply.

"I'm going to miss you." She confessed, voice catching on the tight building of her throat. Thor nodded, grateful.

"Thank you, Jane." He whispered, before holding Mjolnir up towards the skies.

* * *

Loki awoke in a cell he was not familiar with.

Everything was white, and there were no bars this time.

Only a fluctuating white wall of energy.

His head was throbbing, and he felt as though it was split open from the way the world spun. His cheek rested against the cool white stone beneath him and with a groan of pain he righted himself into a sitting position on the far wall. In truth he had been expecting this. Had waited for it.

Prepared, even, for the fact that he would, indeed, _die_. But even so he would never have been able to anticipate the deep-rooted stirrings of depression in his chest. He never did get to say goodbye, and this thought alone made him close his eyes and try to remember better days.

He felt nothing but fear now, a deep gnawing growth, and there was a tug, deep in his chest. A dreadful, dirty, familiar tug. The Chitauri's tug. With no one around to witness him he let a tear fall. A simple tear against the white _white_ stone. He began to wish he could take it all back. To take back his childish rage, his pathetic broken heart.

He wished Odin would have cared, would have pulled him up that fateful night he let go on the rainbow bridge. He found himself thinking of Thor, of his blue honest eyes, of his bright smile, his laugh. Besides Thor he was so flawed, so shattered that he didn't even deserve to stand in the thunderer's light. But, for those few days, he had been whole again. He had been loved.

He had someone fight for him.

And wasn't that enough?

One more tear fell through, joined the laying one on the ground.

Loki smiled softly down at the small pools of water.

One smaller than the other.

He shuddered, rested his tender head back against the stone, let the coolness of the rock ease his mind. There was a tingling in his veins, an energetic flow. He was too absorbed in the easing numb to pay it much mind. There was a rippling sound, and the soft click of heels, and Loki looked up blankly into the soft, motherly eyes of Frigga.

His heart stopped cold.

His wrists squirmed in the metal cuffs pulled sharp behind his back. He felt ashamed, small, and pathetic under her knowing stare. But he pulled his emotions down, swallowed them whole, and hoped to whatever good was still on his side that he wouldn't choke on them.

Frigga dipped down, her golden gown flowing like silken water about her. She was a starching contrast with the white about her. She was silent as she leaned down and wrapped her thin arms about Loki's fragile frame. He was surprised, stiffening some, but as she rested her chin on his head, and his head against her collar, he relaxed. Loki felt like a child with a scabbed knee again, the way Frigga held him, and her fingers ran soothing circles about his leather covered back.

"You were so innocent before the ice touched your heart." She murmured, words echoing in the dull air about them. Her voice was laden with grief and remorse and Loki bit his lip hard enough to draw blood. The metallic tang washed between his teeth, over his tongue, and he shuddered, cold, in her warm arms.

"The ice was always there." He replied, voice hard and monotone, and for a moment he thought she was crying above him. She held him for a while longer, memorizing the feel of her youngest son. Because Loki was still her son, murderer or not, and she never could bring herself to cast him aside. But she stood because she had too, hands caressing Loki's pale cheeks before she stepped back. Stepped away. And Loki, wanting to fulfill one wish of his, whispered to her softly, "Goodbye."

His words were ice before a storm.

* * *

I am so honored to all of you who are reviewing. Honestly, you guys are amazing! :'D

Liked it? Hated it? Loved it?

Thank you for reading! (:


	14. Chapter 14

_Disclaimer_||Obviously, I don't own anything. Frankly, I don't want to. Everything Marvel has done with this so far has been perfection.

_A/N_: Personally, I am not very well informed with all of the Sciences of Asgard, and the names, and the traditions, so I improvised.

-Please excuse any grammatical errors.

-Please review, it would make my day!

* * *

Heimdall's gold eyes were blank as Thor stood before him, hair and armor dripping with mortal rain.

Mjolnir felt heavy in his hold, and as he stood quietly the grey, broken bridge seemed to shake beneath him. For a moment, he feared it would shatter under the vibrations. Blue eyes clashed with gold. Thor stepped forward, further away from the edge. Heimdall made no move as Thor walked by him, head held tall, boots sliding against the slick surface under him.

The whole of Asgard was dark. It seemed as though an ash had fallen over everything, the gold of the great buildings now shrouded with shadow. Thor's gaze drifted up, studied the once glamorous palace before him.

"What happened here?" He demanded, and Heimdall's eyes closed slightly as the bridge gave another violent shudder.

"They came for him." Thor's grip on Mjolnir's leather handle tightened, the texture in the course material wearing red into his palm.

"I do not understand…"

"The Chitauri." Heimdall's voice was deep and weary, and still he did not turn. "For them it's Loki or Asgard will be reduced to ash." Thor's blood seemed to run cold, his pulse stuttering and then picking back up furiously again.

"The All Father's decision is obvious." Heimdall muttered, eyes turning back to the swirling stars of space before him. And Thor tried to remember how to make his feet move, his legs work, because right now, in this instant, his mind seemed to have shut down.

_Obvious…_

Loki's face came into his thoughts, those rare smiles, and the light that had just begun to return to emerald green eyes…

And Thor was sprinting forward, dashing along the length of the remains of the bridge. The wind roared in his ears, made it impossible for him to hear Heimdall's next words:

"You are too late, Thor Odinson."

The skies bled black.

* * *

Shortest. Chapter. Yet.

Haha, I feel like such a troll.

But I don't have any time to write either right now OR this weekend because of family and weddings and job interviews…all that lovely stressful jazz. So I hope this is enough (I don't think it will be, terribly sorry) to get you until Monday.

Liked it? Hated it? Loved it?

Thank you for reading! (:


	15. Chapter 15

_Disclaimer_||Obviously, I don't own anything. Frankly, I don't want to. Everything Marvel has done with this so far has been perfection.

_A/N_: Personally, I am not very well informed with all of the Sciences of Asgard, and the names, and the traditions, so I improvised.

-Please excuse any grammatical errors.

-Please review, it would make my day!

* * *

"Get up."

The guard's hands grabbed the front of Loki's tunic roughly, nails scraping against the tender skin of his throat, and Loki did all he could not to stumble when he stood.

When his green eyes fell upon the guard's scarred face, his still red eye, and scabbed wounds he couldn't help the slow smile that crept its way across his face. When he opened his mouth to speak the familiar metal of the muffle was clasped about his mouth, and the mirth that had hung dominant in his eyes turned to stilled, glaring fear.

The guard let a dirty sneer, shook his head and, grasping Loki tightly about the arm, began to lead him to the other four prison keepers standing tall outside of the cell.

"I've been waiting for this day." The guard beside him snarled, his voice sour and breath tart.

Loki flinched away. He'd been _dreading_ this day. Around them the golden walls shook, dust and small bits of stone falling to the white floor. Loki bit his lip as a rocky shard hit his temple.

It brought back the memories of when he'd returned. He had rocks hurled at him too. The keepers fell into formation about him; weapons raised daintily high, and armored clad heads pridefully tall.

Loki studied the white walls fade to gold and soon he was led up a tall and winding staircase, the spiraled steps holding firm against the rumblings of the building about them. Fear grew its proper place in Loki's heart, just a small inkling for now, but it would soon bloom big.

Vaguely, Loki wondered if they had found him. If instead of being executed by Asgardians virtues and laws he would be given to the Chitauri, ravished and tortured by them.

He shuddered at the idea. Although, as he caught a quick view of the world outside through a slim, narrow window his hope for a proper execution seemed to shatter like the buildings around him.

Asgard was slain in black.

He recognized the warriors crawling about, the monsters seemingly made of metal surveying the skies. His heart churned inside of him. Asgard was being destroyed, slowly but surely, and Loki wondered if Odin had come to the conclusion that even if they gave Loki back to the Chitauri it wouldn't stop them from destroying the wealth of Asgard.

Like a fool Loki whispered Thor's name.

And after he thanked the gods that the muffle hid any noise he made.

His footsteps seemed to grow louder and he looked up from his bowing head to study the halls stretched out before him. He recognized their every shine, their every crack, and he knew the throne room was near before he even stepped foot in it.

The large, circular room held an air thick with nostalgia, and as Loki's dark eyes glanced about he spotted Odin, sitting withered in his golden throne. The bulk of the room seemed to swallow the All Father whole, and as Loki was thrown to his knees before the great god he realized that Odin had never looked so old.

He would've laughed at the sight had the muzzle not held him in place. Sheepishly, warily, and above all, hatefully, Loki met his eyes with Odin's. For a moment no one spoke, only stepped back and waited with bated breaths.

Odin's eyes were tired, Loki realized, and oh so very sad that he almost didn't believe the All Father was sitting before him. But then Odin stood, waving his hand and dismissing the guard's from the room. They left cautiously, walking slow and hanging back beneath the undersides of pillars, but the All Father waited until all living soul had departed the room. All living soul except for Loki's…

And then he struck him.

The slap resounded about the room with a sharp, sickening crack, and Loki let his hair obscure his view as his head was snapped around and his teeth rattled in his skull.

Loki's nails dug into his palms and he forced himself to remain in control, to not stand and confront the All Father with eyes filled with burning inhospitality. Odin's breathing was ragged and slowly he slumped against the seat of his throne once more. The gag seemed looser about Loki's jaw, and after a moment of silence the cursed thing fell off completely, one of its straps broken from the force of Odin's blow.

It rattled to the ground with the clinking of metal, and Loki let his mouth part as he sucked in nervous bouts of air. Finally, Odin spoke:

"They want you." His voice was the dark foreboding chime of premeditated death.

Loki scoffed, a weak and bitter sound, but he didn't turn to Odin when he replied:

"I hadn't noticed." It was all he could say at the moment. His lip had burst, and the blood was running freely down his pale chin, a convenient distraction, yes, and he watched with dimming eyes as the blood hit the gold floor in rhythmic drops.

"Fandral said Thor was with you." Odin spoke slowly, carefully, but his voice still echoed about Loki's mind. Loki felt his heart give a nervous kick, a cold sweat breaking out against the back of his neck. He didn't respond.

"What was he doing with you, Loki?" Odin's tone was one he used to use to reprimand Loki and Thor when they were young and had planted a snake in the maid's living chambers. Loki found himself speaking the words he knew to be a lie, but, Sif had thought this, so why wouldn't Odin?

"I needed his assistance. The only way I was going to survive was by Thor's aid." He sent a grueling smile Odin's way, just to hammer his feigned smugness home, "The cuffs you sealed me with before were not as strong as you would have liked to believe." Odin stiffened some in his chair, eyes unmoving, and for a terrifying instant Loki thought that perhaps the All Father didn't believe his lie.

"You bewitched your own kin?" Loki felt his shoulders slump slightly in relief. He couldn't find the proper words to say-so instead he just laughed. It was a high edged, light sound, and Odin rose from his throne, effectively cutting Loki off with another blow to the face.

Blood splattered like rain against a nearby pillar, the crimson liquid building thick in the back of Loki's throat. He felt a hot trail of it fall from his nose.

"Do I anger you, _father_?" And the last word was spat with so much poison, so much hate, that Loki was surprised when Odin didn't strike him again. Instead the All Father looked past him, eyes widening slightly and when Loki strained his gaze to follow Odin's he stiffened in unparallel shock.

"_Ah_, All Father. How noble of you to honor your word!" The rough, deep voice seemed to scratch against Loki's ears, made his hair stand on edge and his blood stained teeth grind together. The man, no, not man, the _thing_ standing opposite of them was huge. Tall and menacing, and draped in the burliest armor Loki had ever seen.

His eyes were narrowed and his smile was abnormally large, a shark's grin, and his skin was the molted color of a rotten fruit stained violet.

"Loki Laufeyson," And when the thing spoke his name Loki couldn't stop the chill that swept through him, "You belong to me now."

* * *

Another short installment but HEY. You guys are lucky I love writing this story so much, haha. I couldn't help it. Just one more thing to get you through the weekend. :)

Liked it? Hated it? Loved it?

Thank you for reading! (:


	16. Chapter 16

_Disclaimer_||Obviously, I don't own anything. Frankly, I don't want to. Everything Marvel has done with this so far has been perfection.

_A/N_: Personally, I am not very well informed with all of the Sciences of Asgard, and the names, and the traditions, so I improvised.

-Please excuse any grammatical errors.

-Please review, it would make my day!

* * *

"Thanos."

Odin addressed him thinly, a tense apposition to his words as the tall thing-as Thanos stalked forward. Loki had never seen him before. The Chitauri had referenced to a greater being, a higher level than them but Loki hadn't given it much thought. After he failed to give them their victory he hadn't dwelled on the idea that they had an ultimate leader. The realization made him struggle against the metal about his wrists; the cuffs digging into his already scarred hands.

"Death will be proud of me." Thanos beamed; smile wider than humanly possible cutting across rotted flesh. Yellow teeth peeked through, wide and square and Loki smelt rotting corpses and blood as Thanos towered over him.

"You've been escaping Death for a long time." And when Thanos spoke his voice was as rough as shredding gravel. The blood in Loki's mouth seemed to taste all the more prominent and Thanos reached down, slowly, his movements ridged, and his hand fisted in the front of Loki's tunic before hauling him to his feet. The fabric bunched about Loki's throat, made it harder to breathe and Odin shifted on his feet, his spear raised cautiously before him. Thanos's eyes burned, a blazing red and black, and his gaze settled on Odin's old form.

"Death will have you soon." He muttered, lips moving in cracked rhythms over scraped jaw and teeth.

His eyes darted to Loki again and the god froze in his grasp. Thanos's gaze glinted and the next thing Loki saw was a flash of white before a bruising pain erupted over his jaw. The blood now fell forth in full, and Loki's body went slack in Thanos's grip. Timidly, and with a pained groan, Loki managed to spit out the mix of blood, saliva, and skin.

He had bit his cheek open under the surprised blow of Thanos's swing. Thanos still held him tight, and when Loki's eyes rolled up all he could see was the glow of the ceiling. Loki felt himself being pulled forward, and no matter how hard he tried to straighten his head he couldn't.

He couldn't move it without a searing pain knocking the breath from him and the white spots dancing before his eyes. He felt as though he could throw up.

"You made me a fool." Thanos snarled, breath soured and heavy against Loki's mangled face. "And in doing so Death." Loki's hands twitched sporadically against his bounds. He felt like crying out but his throat felt pin hole tight, his tongue-swollen heavy with blood.

Loki reasoned that he would die here. It made sense, did it not? Humiliated in front of Odin.

It would be perfect.

Another blow, harder, more precise, was jabbed at his ribs and he heard something crack, his body buckling forward due to the newfound pain. Bile rose up in his throat and gushed, along with blood from his mouth. Vaguely he heard Thanos laugh.

His ears were ringing too loudly for him to make out anything. Hazed green eyes watched Thanos pull his fist back again, and, in the last possible instant Loki twisted in Thanos's grasp. The thing's blow tore through the metal of Loki's binds and in the split second of surprise Loki rolled, kicked, and fell ungracefully to the golden floor beneath him. It seemed fated that Thanos would be quick enough to catch his wrist…and give it a teasing snap.

Loki's bones cracked like dry twigs and he couldn't help the cry that scraped its way up his throat. He heard Odin's voice, strong and demanding but his words were blurred. Unimportant. Another hit, another crack, and Loki found that his mind was blank.

But Thanos's grip tightened and with the cruelest smile he flung Loki carelessly over his armored shoulder and began to march away.

The jostling of his footsteps made Loki's head swim, and he watched, with mild fascination, as his blood left a trail of red behind him. He had miscalculated Odin's actions. He realized this as the blast of cold, sweet, Asgardian air hit his face.

Thanos would not attack Asgard. He had never attacked Asgard. And as Loki studied his home upside down everything became clear: Thanos was leaving Asgard.

With him.

His heart tightened in fear and his blood pounded loud and demandingly dizzy in his ears. Thanos, no matter how strong could not bring down a world of God's. This much was obvious. Obvious. His end here was inevitable. Loki let his eyes slip shut.

"Loki!"

For a moment he thought he was beginning to hear things.

He was convinced that he was up until Thanos stopped with a jolting lurch and, with a force as strong as the Hulk's Loki felt himself being smashed against marble. The stone bent under the impact and his breath was shocked out of him.

The blood clotted in the back of his throat. Still, as he lay in a small crater of rubble he told himself that the owner of that voice was not here.

The streak of red and gold beside him confirmed his worst imaginings. Thor stood, moving in between the fallen Loki and Thanos, arms coming down and gathering a broken Loki into his arms. Thor stole a quick glance at his brother's face. It was nearly impossible to distinguish blood from skin; the dark haired god was drenched in red. Blue eyes gleamed, strong hands shook, and in a voice that seemed to shake the very ground on which they stood he addressed Thanos.

"Who are you?" And Thanos just smiled. A deep grin, still sickening, still armored, and Loki concentrated on the heat pulsing through his veins. Perhaps now would be a good time to concentrate. So he did. He let the warmth gather into the fingers and palm of his right hand, focused all of his growing energy there. Because he only had one shot.

"Death would like you." Thanos muttered, stepping closer and causing Thor to step back, pulling Loki closer to him. Loki let his left hand dangle, it was throbbing with hurt and moving the swollen, violet puffed area of skin did not seem wise.

"You are the one who did this to Loki." It wasn't a question and Loki could almost taste the anger in Thor's voice, the hateful rage, and lightening crashed and raged above them. Gently, Thor sat Loki down, his back against a wall before turning towards Thanos once more.

"I'll kill you for what you've done." Thor snarled, Mjolnir rising in his grip. Thanos's eyes flashed, daring, daunting, and when he stepped forward the ground shook.

"You challenge me, arrogant son of Odin? Asgard will fall if you steal from me." Thanos's eyes darted to Loki, his gaze predatory dark and Thor felt as though his blood was searing with rage. Would burn through his skin and veins it was so hot.

"Enough." He spat, raising Mjolnir high above his head. "You will do nothing more here today." And with that he brought Mjolnir down. There was a brilliant white flash of light as the skies streaked down to obey Thor's call and it seemed that all of Asgard had frozen alongside Thor's blow.

The ground shook and Loki groaned, wheezing and trying hard to keep his emotions in line.

His right hand had begun to tingle, pulse under this blinding ray of energy. It was the jolt, the extra boost he needed. Because when the smoke cleared, and the lightening ceased its call, and Thanos stood, unscathed except for a couple of scratches and dirtied armor, Loki wasn't surprised in the least.

Thor had once told him that some did battle while others did tricks. It seemed to Loki that in this fight, in this inevitable skirmish, battle would not prevail, but would instead be the downfall of everything that has just been shaped.

* * *

So I read up a bit on Thanos but didn't find much. I'm sorry if I didn't portray him correctly. I tried, so I hope it's okay. :]

Liked it? Hated it? Loved it?

Thank you for reading! (:


	17. Chapter 17

_Disclaimer_||Obviously, I don't own anything. Frankly, I don't want to. Everything Marvel has done with this so far has been perfection.

_A/N_: Personally, I am not very well informed with all of the Sciences of Asgard, and the names, and the traditions, so I improvised.

-Please excuse any grammatical errors.

-Please review, it would make my day!

* * *

It had only been ten minutes before Thor realized that perhaps he was loosing a bit too much blood.

It took eleven to try and fight with a deep gash engraved in his left forearm.

Thanos wasn't fast.

That seemed to be Thor's only advantage. He was faster, but weaker, and his lightening didn't do much when Thanos's heavy armor rejected the heated electricity. Thanos seemed enamored with the thought of pleasing Death; he whispered her name over and over under his breath. It was nerve wracking, and Thor barely had time to ponder where exactly the fight had brought them before he was twirling and ducking again.

He could feel the broken stones scratch at his knees through the leather of his trousers, and when he called down another shower of flashing light Thanos did stumble. It was something. Thor took the opportunity of blind sight to rush forward, lowering himself by Thanos's side and striking him true, Mjolnir vibrating fiercely in his hands when metal hit armor. Thanos gave a little grunt, turned and sent Thor flying back with a blow to the side of his face. The thunderer went tumbling over cracked golden floors and palates, landing with a pained and frustrated groan near Loki's feet.

Cold hands fluttered about his arm, a pleasant light tingling its way through. Thor's eyes fluttered, blue meeting with glazed green.

"Don't fight for me." Loki whispered, voice gruff and dry, and when he spoke a small trickle of blood escaped the corner of his mouth. Thor's heart constricted at the sight of the broken god, and, upon further inspection of emerald and black he saw tears swimming deep in the crevasses of Loki's gaze.

"Don't die for me." Loki's touch became more urgent against his arm, his cheek, and Thor felt a renewed strength pulse through him. Swaying, he stood to his feet, Loki's hands falling away soaked in Thor's blood.

"I have no plans to die today." Thor rumbled, eyes never once leaving Loki's red drenched face. "And neither do you."

With that he flew forward once more, dodging another large fist and landing a fine blow to the base of Thanos's neck. He was surprised when he felt his fist land on skin. Interesting, how Thanos held no armor there. Taking advantage of the newfound weak spot Thor raised his hammer and struck down. He could have very well been a fly, for Thanos only flinched and swatted him away with an annoyed grunt.

"I grow weary of this pointless dual." Thanos boomed, voice reverberating around the fallen walls around them. He stalked over to Thor's shaking body, the thunderer struggling to rise to his feet. A swift kick by Thanos limited him to the ground once more.

Thor could feel the blood sticking to his armor, to his skin, drying and making the worst itch imaginable. That combined with the pain was not a good duo. The skies were swirling. His ears were ringing. He saw Thanos raise his fist and bring it down, but a shield blocked its destination.

Mind clouded with shock and relief Thor watched as Fandral threw Thanos's blow back as two pairs of hands wrapped under his damaged arms and pulled Thor to his feet once more.

His eyes were met with the faces of Sif and Hogun, and where determination and the blaze of battle was still high in their eyes there was also the sincere hope of possible forgiveness. Before Thor could question why they were helping Sif tightened her grip and smiled broadly up at him.

"We have disagreed but we still fight beside you." Thor only had enough time to nod his thanks before turning and watching as Volstagg and Fandral attempted to hold Thanos down.

Sif raised her double bladed spear, it's fine points glistening under the flashes of lightening, before she to joined the fray, crying out in defiance as her spear came into contact with Thanos's chest…and snapped in half upon impact.

With a surprised cry she fell back, Hogun rushing forward to break her fall and Thor stared, thoughts reeling, at the broken weapon by Thanos's feet.

Sif was in shock, her mouth hanging open and as Fandral stiffened in his own way of surprise Thanos struck out and sent the blonde warrior flying through the air. Thor ran to catch him and both fell to the ground under the pin pointed destination. Volstagg was big in weight so Thanos couldn't shake him off as easily, but his beard and slow movements seemed to be a cause of trouble because before either of the gods surrounding could react Volstagg had buckled and fallen to his knees.

Thor hadn't seen what had happened, only that by the time he had stood again Volstagg's massive form lay prone and bleeding on the ground by Thanos's feet. The fallen of the Warrior's Three wasn't moving.

"His strength is greater than we have imagined." Fandral panted, eyes turning to the side at the sound of guard's feet hitting against the rubble. Thor watched as the new armored soldiers stood before Thanos, speaking to him to leave without more of a fight. That the impudence of their prince was hoped to be forgiven. Thanos only laughed, shaking his head with muted disagreement.

"He mocked Death." Thanos roared, finger pointing accusingly at Thor. "And he stole from me. He began this. I shall finish it." Thor watched with a heavy heart, as the soldiers seemed to be ripped from where they stood, blood becoming the rain and the screams making their own thunder rumble. Distantly Thor wondered why Thanos hadn't called on for help.

But, studying the massacre before him he saw that he didn't need to. The guard's were too weak. With an enraged cry Thor had rushed forward, calling upon his lightening to bring Thanos stumbling once more. He didn't hesitate to jump upon Thanos's broad back; the pronounced god was as big as the Hulk. With a cry that shook even Valhalla Thor raised his hammer and brought it smashing down upon Thanos's head. Sif took this opportunity to gather up one end of her shattered spear and ram it under the straps holding Thanos's armor together.

A chunk of his metal breastplate fell away and Thor grinned at the light dotting of red upon Mjolnir's flat brim. At least he had caused Thanos some damage. What happened next past in a blur. A jolting disillusioned blur. He wasn't sure what Thanos did, what power he called upon, but red light erupted upon everyone and everything and when it subsided the guards, the Warriors Three, lay groaning and burning in pools of their own blood.

Thor's grip around Thanos's neck slackened in surprise and he was thrown off, back slamming down on the bloodied gore ridden ground. Thanos walked forward, eyes glowing red that soon died to a calm. What had he done with his eyes? Thor's head was ringing too loudly for him to even try and guess.

"Look at you." Thanos sneered, yellow teeth stained red as he stood over Thor. In his hand was the other end of Sif's spear. The blade smiled glinting down upon Thor.

"A fallen God. In the end, you were weak. A child." A light rain had started. The small cool droplets fell heavy on Thor's head, made his frustration burn. How was he supposed to protect Loki now? He tried to move his hands, tried to grip Mjolnir but Thanos kicked his hand away. Dimly Thor could see Sif, her broken figure struggling to rise again. Her eyes were wide, frightened, and she turned her attention to Thor immediately. Her countenance stiffened in fear as she saw Thanos with her spear.

"No…" She whispered the words dry and pleading fell from her lips with her blood. "No…" She repeated ignoring the pain blooming through her ribs she attempted to crawl forward, to crawl towards Thor. He needed her. Needed her help, she had to help…

"Death will now have you." Thanos snarled rising the spear high into the air…

"No!" Sif screeched, voice breaking and desperately raw.

The spear came down, its blade piercing through flesh and making blood splatter about the ground. Thor was numb with unparalleled shock.

Thanos's eyes widened, in rage and confusion, and his grip slackened some on the spear's shaft.

Everyone was utterly still. Thor couldn't trust his senses.

Couldn't believe what he was seeing to be true.

Loki stood above him, back to him, spear through him.

The pointed end was soaked in red.

Thanos's eyes darted down, and slowly, his mouth parted and crimson poked its way through. Wide, scarlet eyes met smug green ones. Loki's hand was embedded deep into Thanos's chest, the magic and heat that swirled around Loki's skin was burning. Thanos could feel his insides melting away.

Loki smiled, a grin worth keeping, lips shockingly red.

"Go and meet this Death you love so much." Loki hissed, his hand giving a frightful glowing jerk and whether it was death brought to Thanos or another trick Loki couldn't tell, but Thanos was gone in a flash of red and black and smoke.

Thor shut his eyes on instinct and when he opened them again the smoke had cleared, the light had died away, and Thor watched, with stunned numb eyes, as Loki crumbled to the ground above him.

* * *

I LOVE everyone who has reviewed! Thank you guys SO much! Sorry about this chapter but…you know…Thanos and everything. I found out today that he has laser vision! I mean WUT.

Liked it? Hated it? Loved it?

Thank you for reading! (:


	18. Chapter 18

_Disclaimer_||Obviously, I don't own anything. Frankly, I don't want to. Everything Marvel has done with this so far has been perfection.

_A/N_: Personally, I am not very well informed with all of the Sciences of Asgard, and the names, and the traditions, so I improvised.

-Please excuse any grammatical errors.

-Please review, it would make my day!

«ALSO! If you read this chapter to the song "Arms" by Christina Perri it is so much more beautiful.

* * *

Once, when Thor and Loki were children, Loki had fallen from a fruit tree in Frigga's garden, desperate to reach the apples at the top.

He had gotten one for Thor, and was reaching for his when his footing a hold the bark slipped and he fell ten feet to the grassy ground. He had broken his arm. Thor, who had dared him to get the fruit in the first place, carried him all the way to Odin's chambers requesting for a healer.

Thor had never felt guilt like that again.

Not until now.

Because, once again, Thor had failed to protect him. Only this time it wasn't just a broken arm…it was a broken everything. The memory of them in the garden came without warning and Thor wasn't prepared for it, wasn't prepared for the tears that stung at his eyes like bees.

The rain had made the ground slick, mud thick and coarse, and Thor struggled to his feet, ignoring the pinpoints of pain that bloomed through out his nerves. His hands were shaking as he bent down to gather Loki off the abused ground.

Mud caked his hands and Loki's side and when Thor brought the bleeding god to his chest Loki gave out a small whimper and curled in, his pale long fingers of his unbroken hand fisting into the showing edges of Thor's red cape. He felt so light, so limp in Thor's hold, that for one horrifying second Thor feared that every bone in Loki's body was broken. Slowly, painfully, Loki's eyes opened, the green dulled down to grey.

His lips were dry, cracked and crimson, and the rain created patterns through the blood covering Loki's face. Thor felt very cold, hollow and helpless, and as Loki's eyes stared up into his the only emotion he could read from Loki was admiration and relief.

"You're well?" Loki asked, voice harsh and barely detectable over the pounding of the rain, the distant rumble of thunder. Thor's throat seemed to close in on himself, his grip on Loki tightening. In the background he could hear the heavy footfalls of more guards coming their way.

"Compared to you I barely have a scratch." Thor's voice came out choked, light and sorrow filled, but he gave Loki a tender smile, a loving smile…a _prideful_ smile. Loki's lips twitched wearily in return, his breath coming out in slow long drawn pauses. His eyelids fluttered.

"Good…" He murmured before his eyes slipped closed and his body caved limp as a rag dolls. For a moment Thor only stood, staring at Loki's swollen face, his flaccid body. Softly he shook him.

"Loki…" He ushered, voice pleading and just bordering the edges of hysteria. "Loki." He whispered again, swallowing hard when the god in his arms gave no answer. Panic washed like a wave through him, hot then cold, and he was running, not bothering to look back, only forward, as he pushed through the now crowded halls, the misinformed guards. Three stopped him in his wake, heads tilted to the side and voices laced with concern.

"My lord, you are wounded. Let me require you a healer and I will take the prisoner back to his-" Thor snapped. It was simple really, a dark, booming cry of "He is no prisoner, he has saved all your lives, now go get _him_ a goddamn healer!" and the guard's scattered hurried off in a frightened cluster. When they departed a group of some soft spoken servants attempted to take Loki from Thor's hold, seeing as the guard's had failed with their actions.

"My Lord, please, we will care for him, but you must be treated as well." Their words fell on deaf ears, Thor only focused on keeping a steady pace down the halls, through the corridors to the side gate where the healers usually made their ways through.

The sky was dark, rain still beating, and even though every muscle in Thor's body ached he refused to let Loki go, to rest for a moment. Because every second was precious, every little second added to Loki's life, and Thor would be damned if he lost him again.

When a healer did approach she was in the company of Frigga, and Thor followed them with a pounding heart down the corridors to Loki's old chambers. The memories of their childhood came back in a dizzying flourish and Thor stumbled in his step, forehead dipping down to rest upon Loki's own. He was so cold…Thor thought distantly, so very cold…Thor entered Loki's old room, too dark to see much but he had this area memorized by heart and found Loki's old, small bed without any trouble. Gently, carefully, he laid Loki down against the soft mattress.

It seemed then that the healer and her attendants (funny, Thor hadn't noticed them before) rushed about the bed and Thor was forced back against the wall, back away from Loki. He didn't fight it though, because Loki needed to be healed, needed to be fixed because he couldn't die, he just couldn't, not yet, not when he was just starting to find himself again, just when Thor was beginning to realize that he loved him…

Frigga's soft hand's snapped his thoughts straight and with a shudder Thor turned to face his mother. Her eyes were soft, and her hands came up and cupped Thor's cheeks delicately in her hands.

"Let's allow them space to work." She encouraged, taking Thor's hand and guiding him from the room. Thor's eyes never left Loki's figure until the door had closed and Loki was hidden from his sight. Even after Thor stared at the wooden barrier before him, shock overriding every feeling he'd ever had.

"Come, Thor. Let's get you fixed up." Frigga's voice was soft but blurred, and Thor followed her numbly down to the smaller dining hall tucked away by the halls of the throne room. There was no one present here except for a small girl, who was sitting still on one of the benches at the table. She smiled, slightly flustered up at him, and Thor did nothing but sit himself beside her and allow his armor to be discarded upon the floor.

When she started to mend his arm he found himself shivering, the rush of adrenaline leaving his system like a dying flame. Frigga sat in front of him, both of her hands holding one of his, her thumbs stroking soothing circles on his skin. The girl beside him handed him something to drink and he sipped at it hesitantly, the liquid sweet and warm on his tongue.

The drink cleared his head, made his body afresh, and as the girl kept up with her task on his arm he drank the whole of the liquid down in one gulp. The girl was wrapping some sort of cool dyed bandages about his forearm and cheek when Thor's gaze turned up to meet Frigga's. He swallowed, then spoke deeply.

"What will father do with Loki?" His voice echoed about the room, the drink making some of his words slightly slurred. Frigga's grip on his hands tightened and she offered Thor a forced smile.

"I do not know." Somehow this answer only caused to aggravate him and when he tried to pull his hand away Frigga caught it in her hold again.

"This is not the time to discuss such grim topics, Thor. You need rest, not anger or grief. Please, let the drink do its job and sleep." At the mention of rest Thor's eyes grew heavy, his limbs slack and before he was aware his head was against the table and his mind was drifting off into sleep.

* * *

He found it amazing that when he awoke his arm had stopped bleeding, his head was clear and his body rested. He was sore, very sore, and even lifting up his head was an aching effort. Vaguely he saw that his head was resting against a small bundle of cloth, and a woolen blanket draped about his broad shoulders. It was night, he could tell that much, and a couple of candles were lit and scattered about the small dining table.

Movement to his left caught his attention and he looked over and saw the girl from before. She had light hair and it was pulled back in a tight braid out of her face. She was slender and dressed as though she lived in the village over east. In her hands was a small stone bowel, and she was mixing together a thick, slimy looking affect of herbs and paste. When she realized Thor's gaze upon her she nearly jumped, startled and flushed, hand coming up to place itself over her heart.

"Forgive me, I did not mean to startle you." Thor's voice was quiet and rough, and when he attempted to raise himself up he found that his back was too sore for much movement. Dejected, he hunched himself over once more.

"Oh, do not worry. I am fine." The girl replied, voice soft, and her blue eyes rose sheepishly to Thor once more.

"How do you feel?" She questioned, cheeks still pink but hands now steady. In all honesty Thor was just anxious. Worry seemed to be eating him alive. He wanted nothing more than to go and see Loki but…testing, he tried to sit himself up again, and, like before, the pain was too much and he was forced back down.

"I need something to numb the pain." Thor grumbled, tongue licking some dried blood from behind his teeth. "I wish to see my brother." The girl smiled sadly up at him, and perhaps if Thor were more aware he would have noticed the tears pooling about her eyes.

"Here." She whispered, voice slightly choked as she reached behind her and handed Thor a small cup. The contents were red berries that held no scent, and Thor took them from her gratefully.

"They will numb the pain for two hours. I am not sure if they will let you in to see your brother but…" It was here that she stumbled upon what words would be best for her to say, and, finally she settled on smiling. "…But I hope they let you."

* * *

When Thor stood outside of Loki's door the healer was washing her hands in a small bowl. The water in the bowl had turned red, and the woman was hunched over, picking at the drying blood under her nails. When she saw Thor her face went pale, her mouth a thin line. She attempted a smile. It looked more like a grimace than anything comforting.

"Can I see him?" Thor questioned, voice gruff with exhaustion, fatigue and worry. The woman seemed shaken by his question, her eyes darting nervously about.

"Does the Queen know about-?"

"Please." The woman stopped, her hands fumbling about before she nodded, placing the small dish on the ground and standing shakily to her feet. She opened the door, not meeting Thor's gaze and when he stepped into the room she closed the thick wood behind him.

It clicked shut with a heavy echo and Thor turned his attention to the bed. There were candles placed carefully about, their pale light illuminating the hollow of Loki's cheeks, the dip of his throat, the sharpness of his jaw. He was marred in scratches, one eye swollen black, his lips cracked. The excess of blood had been wiped away, and he looked frightfully still. His armor had been shed, along with the leather of his shirt, and only his trousers remained.

Thor approached the bed warily, his throat growing tighter with each step. Gently, he knelt down, reaching up and taking Loki's small hand in his own. He caught a glimpse of Loki's other hand, still swollen and yellow. The white sheets beneath the god's still body were stained red, and flasks of herbs and some sleeping concoctions were scattered about.

Loki's hand was cold, his fingers limp and Thor found that he was shaking uncontrollably. He swallowed, trying desperately to clear the tightness away from his throat. With his other hand he reached up, pushing a sweaty lock of hair off of Loki's face. He let his hand rest atop Loki's forehead, his skin clammy against his palm.

"Forgive me, brother." He whispered, eyes searching for any sign of recognition in Loki's lazed countenance. "It is my job to protect you and I…I have failed most miserably." Thor's hand tightened around Loki's, and absently he fitted his fingers around Loki's slender ones.

"Loki, you have made your own mistakes in the past. You have been wrong." And when Thor spoke his blue yes watched Loki's face, waiting for any movement the stilled god may show. "Loki, I…" And Thor's grip tightened, almost to the point of bruising, "I do love you." Thor's voice shook, trembled, and as he spoke his quiet confession the only answer he received was the flickering of the candles' flames.

"But you need to wake up now." Thor pleaded, voice catching as the tears began to build. He watched Loki's chest, the skin laying still, no rhythm of breathes being took. Panic just turned him numb. He dipped his head down, kissing the knuckles of Loki's limp hand, and, foolishly, he wept. He had never felt so weak, so utterly desperate than he did in this minute, and he brought himself up, tilting over Loki and resting his forehead against his brother's.

"Wake up for me." Thor cried, his lips brushing against Loki's skin with each word. His tears fell upon Loki's closed eyes, his lips, and Thor couldn't help himself, he dipped his head down and gently, desperately, pressed his trembling lips against Loki's still ones. Loki's mouth was cold but Thor didn't care, his own lips warm against Loki's, and when he pulled away he let out a strangled sob.

"Don't leave me again."

Loki didn't respond.

And Thor didn't leave.

Instead he sat himself down by Loki's side, and, not once did he let go of Loki's hand. He stayed until the sun came up and Frigga forced him to leave. The healers still had work to do.

* * *

Well…I kind of almost cried while writing this.

;A;

Liked it? Hated it? Loved it?

Thank you for reading! (:


	19. Chapter 19

_Disclaimer_||Obviously, I don't own anything. Frankly, I don't want to. Everything Marvel has done with this so far has been perfection.

_A/N_: Personally, I am not very well informed with all of the Sciences of Asgard, and the names, and the traditions, so I improvised.

-Please excuse any grammatical errors.

-Please review, it would make my day!

I'VE DONE IT AGAIN. I AM SO SORRY.

* * *

"Have you slept at all?"

Thor's head snapped up, his back angled roughly between the gold, cool walls and the hard marble floor. Leaves of herbs were scattered about the hall, and the door to Loki's room was sealed off, the only sounds coming within were the voices of the healers and the occasional whimper of pain from Loki. At least was aware enough to make some sort of sound. Thor scratched his jaw, his beard a bit more filled out as his blue eyes darted up to the girl who had healed him days before.

"I'm fine." Thor assured, his voice coming out huskier than he thought. Wincing he coughed to clear it. The girl's eyes darted to the door beside Thor and then back again, sympathy overwhelming her features. She pursed her lips for a moment, shifting on her feet as her small hands gripped nervously at the bowls in her grasp.

"I will tell you how he's doing." She said after a moment, smiling softly down at Thor. He nodded his thanks and when she moved forward he stopped her once more.

"What is your name?" He questioned, and the girl hesitating in between opening the door and staying put. Finally, she answered, "Hestia." It was hurried and barely above a whisper, but before Thor could say more she had opened the door and was stepping inside. He could hear Loki's ragged breathing, his speratic seizures upon the bed. Roughly he ducked his head in his arms, drawing his knees up to rest under his chin. He tried to block out the sounds of pain Loki made, the sounds of him suffering, and instead tried to remember his laugh, his teasing, his smile.

Thor fell asleep, although he hated the thought of ever dozing off. When he awoke again there was a small tray of food by his thigh and a goblet of mead by his hand. Groaning he shifted his position, cracking his neck to try and relieve it of its soreness.

His back ached. Stiffly, he stood, and, glancing down the hall he saw the healers moving about. Suddenly, he remembered the Warriors Three, how they had been defeated as well.

He had seen them two days ago, Volstagg was still under but Hogun and Sif had begun to move about. He didn't know what to say to them besides his thanks. They responded with tight hugs and hurried whispers of apologies. Thor was still wary of them. Without another word he tried the handle to Loki's door, and, finding it able to move, he pushed the block of wood opened. It creaked slightly and Thor closed it with a silent curse, trying his best to be silent so he wouldn't disturb Loki. When he turned it seemed he already had.

Green eyes were opened, barely, but enough so Thor could tell Loki was awake.

He felt his heart skip a beat, a sudden thrill rushing through him. Instantly he thought of calling the healer. They should be made aware. But as he moved toward the door once more Loki's voice stopped him.

"Don't." It was a weak, pitiful, a broken rasp and Thor froze upon hearing Loki's once velvet voice dropping down to such low stakes. Carefully, Thor approached Loki's bed, and, noticing a small chair knocked to the corner of the room Thor sat himself down. Loki's eyes followed his every move, and Thor noticed his pale body was covered in a sheen of sweat, fresh blood coating the edges of his lips.

He had stitches running from the tip of his eye to the corner of his mouth and Thor was certain it would scar. But upon seeing Loki, awake no less, gave him a small flame of hope that perhaps he could move through this, perhaps he could become well.

"How do you feel?" Thor questioned, watching as Loki coughed slightly before rolling his eyes to stare at Thor's still bandaged arm.

"Tired." Loki whispered, lips barely moving when he spoke. Dark rings gathered under Loki's eyes, and his skin seemed almost transparent it was so white. Thor reached out, touched his forehead gently. He was burning, a flame beneath the tips of his fingers.

"You have a fever." Thor mused, eyes scanning the room for any sort of watered cloth he may use. He spotted one, red, tucked away beneath a table. Reaching over he retrieved it and was please to find the water still cool. He wrung it out a couple times over the small pail it rested in, ridding the cloth of the excess water before gingerly reaching up and placing it across the width of Loki's forehead.

Loki seemed to relax into the mattress, his eyes fluttering as he breathed a cracked sigh of relief. He opened his mouth as though he would speak but no words came, so instead he attempted the feat of twitching his hand, fingers grasping Thor's and entangling them together.

A soft smile shone of Loki's face and Thor helped him raise his head as he gave him some water from the pail nearby.

A couple drops fell upon Loki's chest and Loki shivered, violently, uncontrollably, and Thor was forced to take the water away before the god chocked.

Thor sat with Loki a while longer, watching as his eyes drifted close again. Just when he believed Loki to be asleep the hand holding his own tightened, urged him to stay. And so Thor did, resting his head against the edge of Loki's mattress, cheek touching the junction between Loki's neck and shoulder.

He was still burning but felt a tad bit cooler, and for the first time in four days Thor slept.

* * *

Thor jolted awake when a hand that was too cool to be Loki's touched his shoulder.

He snapped to attention, raising his head up and staring into the blue eyes of Hestia. She backed up in alarm, murmuring a soft apology before reaching between Thor to Loki. Her fingers splayed apart the bandage around Loki's waist, something they must have added when Thor was asleep. It amazed him, how they had managed to work without waking him.

"I am in your way." Thor spoke, standing but still not releasing Loki's hand. Hestia smiled softly, shook her head, and attempted to remove Loki's bandage without hitting Thor. Thor nodded and with a fleeting squeeze let Loki's hand go. Loki didn't stir.

"Please, tell me if he awakes again." Hestia's brows were furrowed, her hands working furiously, but she took the time to smile and whisper: "Certainly." Thor left Loki's room in a sort of mild daze, exhaustion overriding his senses and making the halls seem darker than they originally were. Vaguely, he heard the sound of rain. Not wanting to sit idle Thor began to walk down the vast halls, passing by balconies and outdoor alcoves.

The palace was shockingly sparse, the healers and guards all seemed to be gathered in the west wing, near where Loki was held.

Sighing Thor turned his direction and stepped out on one of the bigger balconies, the rain hitting against the rough cutted glass above his head. The rain would not reach him but silently he wished it would. It was loud falling against the glass, echoing hauntingly in his ears.

Loki loved the rain.

Thor remembered they used to dance in it, when it was pouring its very hardest. Loki's hair would plaster like ink across his face and his laugh would match those of wedding bells. With an aching heart Thor ran an agitated hand through his hair. These memories were helping nothing.

"How are your wounds?" Thor should've been surprised when he heard his father's voice. He should've been…but he wasn't. In some small way he was expecting him. Expecting this. Whatever _this_ was. He was too tired to fight, too tired to argue, to yell, to scream. He was too tired to look up from his feet.

Odin appeared beside him, eyes emotionless as they stood together, protected from the rain, surveying the small lights below them. They were quiet for a while, Thor not wanting to speak.

"Your actions against The Chitauri were childish." Odin began, and already Thor could feel the rage burning like acid inside of him. He gritted his teeth, mouth forming a thin line.

"I do not wish to discuss this-"

"You put Asgard in the position of war." Odin continued, blocking out anything Thor might have said. "Why would you defend someone who had manipulated you?" Thor stiffened, shock overriding his anger, and he turned with a heated gaze to Odin. The All Father watched him with precision, eyes testing the bounds of how far Thor was willing to go with his words.

"Manipulated me? You believe Loki manipulated me?"

"He told me himself. He confessed that he bewitched you into taking him to Midgard, that you hadn't your right mind." Odin watched as the red rushed to Thor's face, cheeks flushing crimson with anger. But then Thor seemed to stiffen, the anger fading away to a sort of surprised confusion.

"Loki did no such thing." Thor's eyes darted down, and he swallowed viciously, trying to think of Loki's logic behind this, of why he would-

_Oh. _

Suddenly his heart was beating too fast, too rapidly for what was average. Loki protected him again.

If Odin realized that Thor allowed Loki to escape, helped him, protected him, then Thor would have been exiled. Thor's gaze flickered up to Odin, blue eyes switched to bright determination.

"I aided Loki of my own free will." Odin's expression didn't falter, his façade didn't change. Instead he only nodded, inhaled a shaky breath, and departed from the balcony. Thor stood alone, listening to the beating of the rain and trying to sort out his jumbled mind.

* * *

He ate that night with Frigga, Sif, and Hogun.

It was a quiet meal, Hogun remaining silent for a good portion of the time. Sif tried to lighten the atmosphere with witty remarks and kind laughs, and Frigga humored her about her days as a child. Thor would pitch in a line or two when the timing seemed appropriate, although his contributions to the conversation were always dry and lacking in a light demeanor. Thor could barely taste the food. In truth he didn't feel much of anything. Hestia had not called for him.

Loki had not awoken again.

This worried him to no end, and instead of devouring his lamb and stew as he would do normally he instead focused on his wine, sitting ripe and red before him. It was interesting, how his cup never seemed to dry.

He was certain he had drunken at least three goblets full before excusing himself from the feast. Staggering, dizzy, he made his way up the familiar halls, out twisted stairs, and in a daze of high drunken buzz he found himself in the far corner of Frigga's garden. The moon illuminating the wilting flowers, the tall trees, and as Thor stumbled about in the pale, darkened night he ran warm fingers over fallen petals. He slurred to a halt, swaying some on his feet as he blinked dazed up at the tree before him.

It was one he remembered well, and, gently he reached out a shaking hand and ran his palm over the bark. The apple tree was shorter than he remembered, after all his memory of this tree was one he had from when he was still a child. Everything seemed monstrous to him then.

He tilted up his head, eyes landing on a long apple in the branches above him. Stretching his light bent body up he grabbed the apple, it's skin smooth and red and bright between his fingers. He lowered it down, held it in his palms, and, without another sound, tucked it away in the folds of his trousers before departing from the garden. The cool breeze had helped clear his head, and Thor could always hold his liquor well.

When he returned to the inside of gold he felt slightly more relieved, although he could still taste the bitter tang of wine on his tongue. Silently, he crept about, Sif's voice carrying down the halls as Thor approached Loki's room. The healers were gathered in the hall, eyes shadowed and when Thor entered Loki's room they made no move to stop him.

They barely even glanced his way.

Loki was still asleep, still pale, still hollow, but in the light of the moon he looked even more so. Stumbling slightly in his step Thor stood beside Loki's bed, just watching him for a moment while he slept. He did not look well. Perhaps Thor could only think the truth when bitter grapes hazed his mind. Fumbling with his pockets for a while Thor took out the apple, and, gently, he laid it in the palm of his brother's limp hand.

"I got the apple for you this time, Loki." Thor whispered, voice cracking dangerously close and when Loki remained motionless, remained unmoving, Thor could feel the tightness in his chest build, and the tears swim in his eyes.

So he fled.

He abandoned the room, stumbling out into the hall and down, _down down down_, until he slumped, panting, against a wall opposite. The dim lighting of the candles shadowed him and it was here, in the privacy of the dark, that he let his tears fall. They hit the ground below him with dulled plops, and Thor raised his fist, and, with a feral snarl slammed it against the gold wall before him. He repeated the action, again and again and again.

He only stopped when his knuckles bled, when his skin cracked, and he sank down to his knees, a sobbing mess of a once prideful prince.

Frigga spotted him there minutes later, when tears were turning dry against skin and blood was shriveling brown. Gently she wrapped her arms about him and held him to her chest, letting his hands grip painfully tight around her. He was shaking terribly but when he spoke his voice was steady.

"Will he live?" Thor whispered, voice muffled by the fabric of Frigga's gown.

The Queen of Asgard hesitated.

And then, she too, found herself crying against the top of Thor's bent head.

"No."

* * *

…

…

…

Not much to say about this one…

On a brighter note I had my first day of work today! Yay.

Yeah, I know, we're still sad.

Liked it? Hated it? Loved it?

Thank you for reading! (:


	20. Chapter 20

_Disclaimer_||Obviously, I don't own anything. Frankly, I don't want to. Everything Marvel has done with this so far has been perfection.

_A/N_: Personally, I am not very well informed with all of the Sciences of Asgard, and the names, and the traditions, so I improvised.

-Please excuse any grammatical errors.

-Please review, it would make my day!

* * *

Loki was awake when Thor entered in the early hours of morning two days later.

Thor took his usual position by Loki's side and their hands found each other's naturally. Loki felt warmer; his cheeks held a bit more color. His eyes shone like jewels in the dark and Thor couldn't resist leaning over and kissing Loki's forehead, his nose, his jaw, and, finally his lips. When Loki pressed gently back against him, his grip tightening Thor was struck with the realization that he had some strength again.

Thor's veins were on fire, arousal building deep in his stomach but he withdrew before the feelings grew more prominent. Loki needed rest, not excitement. But Thor couldn't help cupping his face with his free hand, memorizing the sharpness of his cheekbones, the shape of his lips.

"You seem better." Thor commented, smiling slightly although he was sure Loki couldn't see.

"I feel better." Loki responded, voice gaining the soft edge he used to possess. And, like a fool, Thor felt the stirrings of hope once more.

"Does anything hurt?" Thor asked gently, thumb caressing the skin of Loki's cheek fondly. The god shook his head.

"No." He sighed, melting into Thor's warm touch. "Not anymore." Thor nodded, leaning forward once more and planting another soft, another loving kiss to Loki's mouth.

"You really need to stop doing that." Loki murmured, eyes fluttering in the dark. Loki's hand tightened around Thor's sending a jolt of warmth through Thor's veins. "I am supposed to be resting."

"Ah, yes, of course." Thor muttered, leaning in again once more. "Resting…" And Loki let out a soft, weak laugh before their lips connected once more.

* * *

Dark.

Oh, how dark it was. He couldn't open his eyes, couldn't move his lips, his hands, his head. Everything was utterly numb. His skin tingled, although he barely felt it. Nothing seemed to register.

And he realized that he was dying.

It was surprising really, how calm he was about this. He had been preparing for a while. Of course, he wasn't prepared for the pain in his heart. It was the only thing he could feel. An aching, dull, hollowed throb. He wanted it to stop, wanted to claw it away. But the only one who could fix it was Thor. And he wasn't here anymore. Or was he? Loki made a strange scratching sound in the back of his throat, eyes fluttering behind his lids.

His head tilted to the side, the mattress, which was soft, still irritated his stitches, his healing wounds. A hand touched his mouth, testing, and fingers small and probing. Gently, the nails scraped the inner parts of his lips. Surprised, he stiffened, eyes feeling slightly more alert as he opened them partially.

He couldn't make out the healers face, but she had eyes the same as Thor's, the same blue, and maybe that's why Loki didn't try to fight back when her hand and fingers and nails pried open his mouth. He could tell something was wrong with this, the way her eyes kept skipping over to the closed door. She was nervous, on edge, and what she brought up to his mouth smelled like the worst possible spice.

Loki tried to remove her grip from his jaw, tried to turn his head away because he couldn't move his arms. They were too heavy. The liquid that dipped down his throat burned. With a muffled cry his back arched up, eyes shockingly wide as the heat seared his insides, made them burn, and his mouth stretched impossibly wide, trying desperately to choke back up whatever this girl had given him.

"Shh." She hushed, hands coming up and forcing his mouth closed, forced him to swallow. "Shh." She repeated, pushing his strained body back down.

"It'll be over soon." She whispered, and dizzyingly Loki tried to move away from her, tried to get himself off the bed. He was surprised when her nails dug into the skin of his bare shoulders. His vision was clearing, just enough so that he could make out her brown hair, her fair complexion.

She had the face of pure innocence, and as he stared up at her, disbelief crossing his features she gave him the most chilling smile.

"Gods can't die from the injuries you've received." And she bent down, fragile body folding like paper over his, and she smelled like lilies and apples and the bitter tang of poison. Poison…

"I'm sorry I had to change that." And she reached down, taking something out of Loki's left hand. His eyes followed her movements, the pain throughout his body making him twitch. She brought up her hand, and an apple, ripe and red sat in the palm of her hand.

"He got this for you." She murmured, distantly, distractedly, and that's when Loki's mind erupted, head splitting and he gave a small whimper, the blood dripping from his nose and mouth becoming terribly warm.

"He does seem to be quite fond of you. Never really took time to notice me when you were with him." She smiled, a faint little dabble of lips turning upwards. "I would watch him while he trained. He was always so kind.

But at the end of the day he would return to you under an apple tree." Her smile faded, her eyes grew dark. Loki tried desperately to speak. To say _something_.

"You've done nothing but bring him pain. And I am sorry it had to go this way. You won't die immediately," She assured, lips grazing the vibrant skin of the apple. "No, not immediately." And slowly, teasingly she took a bite. The apple's juice dribbled down her chin, dripped onto her gown, and she closed her eyes and hummed with approval.

"You could never make him happy." Loki collapsed with her words sharp and deadly in his ears.

Oh how dark it was.

* * *

Thor sat, silently, dumbly, at the end of the long dining hall table.

There was no food before him, only the empty vast expanse of deep wood and unlit candles. The afternoon sunlight was fluttering in, the dust rising up and creating a sort of glitter in the suns soothing rays. Thor let his fingers trace small patterns in the wooden surface, his gaze looking about himself at the empty room. It had been quiet today. Loki had been asleep when he had visited him an hour ago, and when he arrived Hestia had told him his fever had returned. Thor felt heavy. He felt as though a weight was balanced on both of his shoulders, and he was too weak to not bend under its weight.

He gritted his teeth, out of frustration or grief he was unsure. He didn't turn when he heard the footsteps echoing behind him but when he looked up he was surprised to see Fandral standing brightly beside him.

"You are well?" Thor asked, voice dulled and eyes unmoved. Fandral gave a simple grin, his usual boisterous self seemingly asleep.

"Indeed." He replied, sitting himself down on the bench to Thor's right. They were silent for a while, Fandral watching the sun, as Thor had been earlier.

"How is Loki fairing?" Thor flinched visibly, jaw tightening and face paling. Fandral's heart dropped, eyes coating their once blue hue in a deep sympathetic grey.

"Oh, my friend." He whispered, hand coming up to grip Thor reassuringly about the neck. "How glum you are! He is a god, his wounds can not kill him!"

"But they are, Fandral." Thor whispered, voice rough as gravel. "And there was and _is_ nothing I can do."

"You mustn't blame yourself for what happened."

"Why shouldn't I?" Thor cried, voice snapping close to a yell. Fandral's hand fell away in surprise, eyes widening at Thor's sudden temper. "I am supposed to protect him, I am supposed to keep him safe! My whole life I have taken him for granted, never once had I stopped and thought about how differently we were treated. I was blind to his feelings. I should have been there, through everything, I should have been there. And I wasn't. How can I not feel guilty?" There was so much hurt in Thor's eyes, so much pain in their depths, that for once Fandral had no words of comfort to give. Instead he simply nodded, biting his lip in concentration.

"I say we drink." He sighed, voice resigned in a sigh of defeat. "My wounds ache and it will do us both good to clear our heads." Thor didn't argue when the wine was brought to them. Instead he followed Fandral's example and drank until the room spun and he couldn't form a coherent thought.

But one thing did not change: he could still only think of Loki's face.

And it was this that kept him from slipping too far under. In an hours time Fandral was slumped over the top of the table, snores and hiccups echoing about the vast room, and Thor listened to them while trying to clear the throbbing away from his temples.

He settled on drinking three cups of water.

It helped a little.

"Fandral," He drawled, shoving the blonde warriors arm roughly, "Fandral why do you sleep? It is still day!" He did not respond and Thor groaned in irritation, rising up to wander up the small stacks of stairs.

He relished in the cool wind against his face, and the glow of the setting sun.

He desperately wanted it to rain again. Reaching out his hands he let the sun alight on his palms, let it warm his skin, and he was reminded of Archie's farm. The feeling of the sun was the same.

He could almost smell the corn again, the chilled breeze, the sound of crackling leaves. He missed it. It felt like a lifetime ago since he had been there. Perhaps, when Loki was well again they would go back, stay there in the solitary of blissful peace.

Thor felt a smile spreading across his face, a kind laugh escaping his lips. Yes, he and Loki would go back. They would return, when all was said and done, they would leave here, go back to happiness, go back to each others comfort, go-

"M-My lord." Thor turned, motions sloppy and slowed, and he had to blink a couple times to see the oldest healer standing before him. Her cheeks were red, her eyes moist, and her lips trembled as she spoke her next words…

"He's dead." At first Thor simply stood and stared. Then, slowly, his heart plummeted, melted, combusted, and the coldest, yet hottest sweat broke out over his neck. He felt as though he had just been caught red handed in a crime, his stomach twisting painfully, his throat becoming fearfully dry and fearfully tight. Dazed, he took the steps one at a time, precisely until he stood towering above the healer.

"What?" He whispered, voice broken and cracked underneath the crushing pressure of reality. When she didn't respond he found himself growing increasingly angry, scared, panicked, and without another word he was sprinting forward.

His steps were heavy against the golden floor, and he cleared the twisting hallways and stairs in less than a minute.

A small cluster of servants hung outside Loki's door, and vaguely Thor could hear the click of Frigga's shoes, the demand of Odin's boots. He didn't care about them though. His mind was blank as he pushed everyone aside, and before he could make it through the door Hestia was before him, head bowed and hands tangled in the fabrics of her skirts. She looked as though she was going to say something, was going to speak, but she was taking so long, and Thor hadn't the mind to speak to her now. He didn't spare her a second glance as he flung himself into the dark small space of Loki's chambers.

Loki lay, utterly still, utterly flaccid on his bed. There was red aligning his lips and as Thor stepped closer he could see its unsullied gleam in the light of the fading sun.

The blood was fresh.

It was in this moment that everything came crashing down, although Thor couldn't process it yet. His hands were shaking uncontrollably as he reached out, the tips of his fingers caressing Loki's cheeks, his jaw, and the back of his slender hand.

He was as cold as ice.

His lips had lost their color, his cheeks their flush, and his body its agility. He looked like wax, lying there in an expanse of white. Thor felt frozen in place, unable to move, unable to breathe. He felt as though he was dying. All he could do was stare. A pained gasp made him turn his head. Frigga and Odin stood in the doorway, Frigga's eyes wide and her thin hands clutching Odin's arm.

The tears that fell from her eyes seemed to jolt Thor back. Slowly, he turned to face Loki's prone form once more. He remembered what it felt like to kiss those lips, to hold those hands, to hear that perfect voice. He remembered holding him close, joining them, opening everything to him. His other half. His mind. His…his _everything_. Thor inhaled shakily, desperately trying to get air back into his lungs.

Because that's what Loki was to him:

**_Everything._**

Without thinking, without much of anything except a hollowed out soul, Thor bent down, and uncaring of who saw, planted a desperate kiss to Loki's lips. He could sense everyone behind him stiffen in disgust. Well, **fuck** them.

Loki's lips were cold and lifeless, and Thor couldn't help moving his, willing Loki to join him, to follow along in their once familiar dance. The only actions he received were the tremors from his own shaking frame. He pulled away, eyes still wide, permanently stuck to Loki's features.

"You're not dead." He whispered, quietly so only Loki could hear him. "I know you're not."

_He was wrong._

"This is another one of your tricks."

_It wasn't._

"You're going to wake up soon."

_He wouldn't._

It seemed as though when Loki didn't respond, when he didn't do anything that Thor snapped. With an unbridled cry he picked up the nearest table and flung it wildly at the wall opposite. It shattered, glass breaking like eggshells, wood splintering like twigs. Dimly Thor spotted an apple core in the corner of the room. He felt like he was going to collapse.

"Wake up!" Thor shouted, eyes narrowed in utter rage and disbelief. "Stop it, stop this nonsense!" He dropped to his knees, hands grasping Loki's shoulders in a bruising grip. Violently, he shook him.

"This wasn't how things were supposed to go." Thor whispered, grip tightening. "You can't just leave me, take my life away. You can't…be dead." Thor bowed his head, resting it against the back of Loki's cold hand. Minutely, Thor felt the tears fall. His head was pounding. This couldn't be happening…it couldn't…He was dreaming, a terrible, terrible dream and he would awake soon, awake besides Loki, awake to the comfort of Archie's farm. Large hands grabbed Thor's, softly coaxing him away from Loki's lifeless form.

"Thor, my son, enough." Odin's voice was tender, defendant and when Thor turned to look into his father's eyes he could see the moisture there, the guilt, the execution.

"Enough." And Thor came undone. His eyes never left Loki's form, never turned away, and, numbly, he thought one thing:

Loki Laufeyson looked beautiful in the fading light.

* * *

Thoughts?

Liked it? Hated it? Loved it?

Thank you for reading! (:


	21. Chapter 21

_Disclaimer_||Obviously, I don't own anything. Frankly, I don't want to. Everything Marvel has done with this so far has been perfection.

_A/N_: Personally, I am not very well informed with all of the Sciences of Asgard, and the names, and the traditions, so I improvised.

-Please excuse any grammatical errors.

-Please review, it would make my day!

* * *

His body was covered in white.

His eyes were gently closed.

His room was sorted with small herbs, hidden fragrances.

"Don't want it to start smelling." They said.

Thor spoke with alcohol on his tongue and grief coloring his eyes.

But at least he smelled like the herbs in Loki's room.

At least he never left.

Numbly he regarded Loki's stilled form.

The sheets were tucked up to his neck, the pale column of skin almost as white as the fabric about him. Thor felt empty. He felt hollow. He reached up his hand, his fingers caressing the skin of Loki's forehead gently, lovingly. His skin was ice cold, the pink in his cheeks had begun to fade to a chilled blue. When Thor cupped the Jotun showing skin it didn't fade like it used too.

It remained.

A permanent growing blue. But Thor found that he didn't mind it. If anything he found it endearing. With a trembling hand he raised the bottle of wine to his lips, barely feeling as the bitter tang of alcohol slithered down his throat. He stayed for a while longer, regarding Loki's wax like complexion, his lifeless drained face. A choked sound formed in the back of Thor's throat but he swallowed it down thickly with drink.

He had run out of tears to shed. All he could do now was drink into oblivion. It was in the early hours of the morning when Thor stumbled from Loki's room, having run out of wine and seeking some more.

His head throbbed, his body felt rugged and tingly, and his vision seemed to make double of everything. He nearly fell down the steps twice, and once he had to bend himself over to hurl into a nearby golden pot.

The servants that still were awake refused him any more alcohol and told him he should return to bed, he could barely walk straight. His tongue was heavy in his mouth and when he tried to move it no words came out. Two serving men attempted to drag him back to his room but he shoved them harshly aside, staggering away with a crude choice of words. His chest felt painfully tight so Thor collapsed himself upon the stairs by Loki's room, and he closed his eyes to try and dull away the throbbing of his head.

He didn't realize when another body sat beside him, small fair hands handing him a goblet of clear water. He drank it without hesitation, trying to rid the dryness that had become his throat. The water helped his head minutely, and his fingers had stopped their tingly. But they still trembled, and there was nothing the water could do to help that-he wasn't shaking because of the alcohol after all.

"I am terribly sorry for your loss." A sweet voice whispered, close to his ear and Thor blinked to right his vision as he opened his eyes. He recognized the woman next to him and he gave a grunt of recuperation.

Hestia didn't look too sorry.

No one who told them they were did. They sat in silence for a while as Thor drank the last of the water, and when he had finished he passed the goblet absently to Hestia once more. She took it silently, blue eyes glowing like jewels in the dim candle lit hallways. She swallowed before she spoke next.

"My lord, if you don't mind me asking, why did you…" She seemed to trail off, suddenly uncomfortable with her next question. Thor was too drunk to try and guess what she would ask. So instead he just stared at her in a bored sort of gaze.

"…Why did you, um, kiss your brother?" The words were awkward and tense, and Thor couldn't help but throw back his head in a bellow of uncoordinated laughter. His voice carried eerily erratic through the golden halls, and Hestia looked on in confusion as his laughter slowly faded out.

"He is not my brother of blood." Thor offered, words slurring and he smiled a lopsided grin afterwards, as though he had just given Hestia the perfect answer. She studied him for a moment, hands tightening white in her lap.

"Did you…did you love him?" She whispered voice cracking slightly and when Thor turned to her again her eyes were misted over, tears threatening to spill over their edges. Thor found himself startled and very confused by her reaction, so he tilted his head and nodded.

"Yes, I…I still do. There is nothing past about it." Her countenance seemed to crumble then, loosen about the edges, and Thor watched as she nodded and stood to her feet.

"You best rest, my lord. Sleep will do you good." And Thor watched as Hestia hurried from the hall, heels clacking against the golden floors as she departed. Thor stayed seated for a while before sleep really did sound like something he needed, and staggering he flung himself into his room and onto the ground.

He missed the bed by a foot.

* * *

"Have you eaten today?"

A soft voice implored, sounding impatient and utterly soft in the direction of the doorway. Thor swallowed gruffly, the wine falling down his throat thickly. It went straight to his head. He couldn't think straight.

"The door was locked." He scoffed, eyes turning to address Sif's form. She was all blurry…He blinked, trying to straighten his vision, and when that didn't work he slumped his back against the side of his bed in defeat.

Sif walked in carefully, leaving the door open a jar so that the light from the hallway shone in. There was no light in Thor's room.

"You have been occupying this room for the past day, Thor." Sif urged, eyes taking in Thor's sunken appearance, pale skin, hollowed eyes. Red eyes. Raw from the excessive use of depression. When Thor didn't answer, didn't do anything but down his last cup, Sif bit her lip in frustration. This wasn't the soon to be king, this wasn't the warrior, the strong man, she once knew.

She had heard about what Thor had done to Loki, how he had kissed him on his deathbed. Rumors were always false but…something about this one gnawed her alive. The words were parasites, an irritating itch, and the more she tried to ignore them the more persistent they became. But she wouldn't ask him to confirm or deny them yet.

Not when Thor was already so broken.

"His body is cleaned." Sif tried; hope making her voice appear light. "Odin has suggested burying him under the apple tree in Frigga's garden." This seemed to spark something in Thor's eyes, an urgent light, and with a slurred, "Repeat that" he stumbled to his feet. Sif stepped back warily, the smell of wine and sweat hitting her full on. She crinkled her nose at Thor's disheveled appearance, at his predetermined lack for treating himself to a bath. She swallowed before answering.

"They wished to bury Loki's body in Frigga's garden-"

"No." And Thor spoke this word so steadily, so clearly, that Sif was taken aback. She searched his face with confusion, trying to read how his emotions turned so rapidly. His eyes had lost their hazed appearance; his hands had ceased their shaking.

"Thor…"

"No. He will not be buried there." His voice had its deep rumble back, its bolstering vigor, and when he stepped by Sif and out the door she could do nothing else but follow. Thor's steps were hurried and not exactly straight but he managed to not fall down the stairs and to keep his swaying to a minimum. At least he had some of his dignity left. Sif walked briskly behind him, following his every move cautiously so that if he showed any signs of falling she could catch him before he hit the ground.

He headed straight to Odin's throne room, and Sif did a hasty, uncoordinated bow as she saw the All Father sitting in his golden seat. His expression didn't change as he regarded Thor, who stood before him with an empty goblet and flushed complexion.

"I do not want Loki buried here." Thor stated, not bothering with any sort of formalities. "I want to take him to Midgard for his burial." Odin opened his mouth to speak but Thor continued, "Do what you will with his body for a day. But afterwards I will bury it on Midgard." Odin's eyes scanned Thor's countenance with sympathetic, pitying eyes.

"You are too absorbed in drink to speak properly."

"No, I am too absorbed with drink that I _can_ speak properly, and I hold to my words, Father. Loki found a home on Earth, and I wish to lay him to rest there." Odin's one eye regarded his deeply, and suddenly the All Father looked much older than he appeared.

He rose slowly from his throne, descended his dias to stand before Thor. His son reeked of alcohol and grief, but his eyes were clear and his posture straight. Blue eyes bored intensly into Odin, making his insides twist slightly with guilt and exhaustion. He sighed simply, nodded, and bit his lower lip in thought.

"What was Loki to you, my son?" And Odin watched as Thor stiffened immediately, eyes falling to look anywhere but his father's face. Odin nodded, sad desperation clouding his expression as he turned to sit upon his throne once more.

"I thought as much." He murmured, voice heavy and disappointed, and Thor felt his heart sink into his stomach, shrivel up and burn with all the alcohol he had consumed. There was a heavy silence, a stiff, uncomfortable one, and Sif had the desperate urge to run.

She wanted to leave, she truly did, but her feet ground her stubbornly to where she stood. She watched Thor sadly, confusion spiking inside her like a flame, but she held her tongue and instead let her eyes wander to where the All Father was seated. He looked so old, old and tired up there on his throne, and Sif wondered distantly how long he had left. When Odin spoke next it was with a heavy heart.

"Do what you will with Loki's body. Asgard holds no celebrations for murders." Thor's jaw clenched harshly, teeth scraping roughly over each other as he fought to hold his tongue. In his pitying state of not truly being sober his attempts at keeping silent were unsuccessful.

"Do not speak of him in such a way. He was lost, and you, Father, did nothing to ever help him. You neglected him coldly and from the beginning you were hard on him. Do not speak of his wrongdoings in his time of death, because if you were half the Father, or King, that you claim to be you would have realized by now that his death, along with the deaths of others, is your fault."

Thor's words hung like lightening in the still air, churning and fighting, and Odin sat in muted shock as he stared wide-eyed down at Thor. The thunderer simply nodded and strode roughly away, his footsteps echoing about the hall in luminous, rebellious pride.

* * *

Are you guys ready to see Archie again?

Liked it? Hated it? Loved it?

Thank you for reading! (:


	22. Chapter 22

_Disclaimer_||Obviously, I don't own anything. Frankly, I don't want to. Everything Marvel has done with this so far has been perfection.

_A/N_: Personally, I am not very well informed with all of the Sciences of Asgard, and the names, and the traditions, so I improvised.

-Please excuse any grammatical errors.

-Please review, it would make my day!

* * *

Frigga entered Loki's room late at night.

The shadows crept like melting wax down the dark halls and the moon was barely a sliver of silver in the sky. She approached Loki's prone form quietly, his body still covered with sheets, flowers just now beginning to loose their color against the fabric. Her eyes lowered tiredly, a lone hand reached out to trace the lines of her dead son's face. Funny, how cold his skin was.

She didn't pull back the sheet, no, she wasn't sure if she could bare it. She wasn't here to cry. She was here to say goodbye. And to apologize. She seated herself down beside Loki's limp arm, sat on the edge of the bed like she used to when he was still a child.

Except this time green eyes didn't stare curiously up at her, pink lips didn't move with unimaginable questions.

In the past he would be breathing. Her chest tightened considerably and she swallowed, trying to rid the lump growing sore in her throat. She had prepared to say something long, some type of speech overflowing with important values and morals and memories. But her lips couldn't move well and her mind was too fogged for her to speak clearly. So her goodbye was short.

"I have always loved you as a son, to me you were nothing different. I am proud of you, Loki Odinson." And with a stifled sob she bent her over, thin lips pressing a fleeting kiss to Loki's covered white forehead. With a heavy inhale she straightened, eyes not leaving Loki's form as she addressed the figure that had appeared in the doorway.

"You may take him now." Thor moved carefully, reaching across Frigga to scoop Loki into his arms. He let the sheet fall away and balanced Loki's flaccid head against his chest. Blue still dotted his once pink skin, though it didn't cover him completely. Thor's eyes sought out Frigga's in the gloom and his mother attempted a smile that turned into a grimace.

"Come back soon." She pleaded, and he nodded before bending down to plant a kiss her upon the cheek.

"As soon as my business is done."

* * *

Odin stood in the middle of his throne room, heavy gaze looking out over the darkness of a sleeping Asgard. His hands tightened about his staff, a large beaming one that he had used last time to send Thor back when Loki had been threatening to destroy Midgard.

Guilt shot through him, making him bow his head and when he hear Thor's steps fall patiently behind him he didn't turn, just raised his staff, and let the dark energy surround the two figures behind him.

One dead, one alive.

Odin wasn't one for goodbyes.

* * *

Immediately Thor felt himself falling.

Instinctively his grasp on Loki tightened, and it felt as though he was holding a doll rather than a once living god. Loki's body was limp, unbelievably so, and his joints rattled about with Thor's rushed movements. The thunderer let them roll when he fell, the stalks of corn crumbling and bowing beneath he and Loki's tumble. The air howled in his ears and he felt his cheek skin against the dirt, pebbles embedding themselves in his cheeks. He thought only of keeping Loki shielded in his arms. He tried to protect the one who no longer felt pain.

When their rolling had slowed and Thor had gained his footing he blinked, studying Loki's face to make sure he was all right. Loki still had a scar, from his eye to the corner of his mouth, and for a moment Thor was struck by how quickly the wound there had healed. He found no time to dwell on this though as his gaze fell quickly on the familiar tall, white farmhouse about three hundred feet away.

The light was on in the kitchen, and Thor could make out the outline of Archie's pickup truck sitting still in the gravel drive. Wincing, he made his way toward the house. It only struck him how he was supposed to go about telling the old man when he was standing outside of the corn field and before the closed screen door.

What would he say? Unfortunately he didn't receive a long enough chance to ponder this thought. Archie's bent silhouette appeared in the doorway, a withered hand holding open the screen door.

"I had a feelin' it twas you. Always come here falling don't cha?" Thor let a broken smile spread across his features and he stepped forward, walked into the light falling from the kitchen. He could see Archie clearly now, as Archie could see him, and the old man's eyes followed down to Loki's body cradled in Thor's arms. Archie frowned.

"He's always hurt when he visits, ain't he?" Thor's heart broke. Shattered. With a cracking voice he tried to answer.

"Not hurt…dead." It seemed to take Archie a moment. Then, slowly, very slowly, he nodded. He swallowed thickly before speaking.

"I see." He croaked eyes narrowing softly as he smiled thinly down at Thor.

"One moment." And he disappeared inside, leaving Thor standing numbly in the night. When Archie returned he had a thick blanket wrapped under his arms. Archie's expression was understanding, and he nodded again, seemingly dazed before he gave a shuddering breath and began to descend the short steps outside. He stood before Thor, who looked down upon him, and Archie licked his dry lips.

"I gots a shovel in the back. I 'sume that's why yer here." Thor found that he couldn't form a proper sentence to answer. So he just confirmed with a small movement of his head. Archie started hobbling off and Thor followed Archie around back, waiting patiently while the old man retrieved what he called a shovel, and they started forward. Thor followed blindly, eyes never leaving Loki's whose skin seemed to glow in the night.

Thor stepped over logs, sidestepped trees, and crossed a small creek bed before he realized where Archie was leading them.

It was to the other side of the field Loki and him had visited before The Warriors Three came to them. There was still a crater in the middle, the grass overturned, but it had filled up slightly with dirty water. Archie stopped along the edge of the valley, beneath one of the hills, and Thor looked down to see two other graves, marked by large stones just on the edge. He sent a questioning look to Archie.

"My boys." Archie confirmed, nodding in the direction of the weed ridden burial mounds. "You wouldn't mind if I buried Loki with 'em, would you?" Thor felt the tears, the empty hollowness that was beginning to build like acid in his chest. He felt like screaming. He felt like breaking everything he saw. But he didn't do any of those things. Instead he laid Loki gently on the ground, where Archie seated himself and held his head in his lap, and Thor began to very roughly start digging. It didn't take him long, not long at all, before about a six foot long trench lay before him.

It wasn't terribly deep, but it looked like it was in the dark, so Thor struck the shovel back into the ground and leaned heavily against it. His arms felt numb, his fingers tingling. He wiped the sweat furiously from his brow with the back of his hand. He couldn't clear his vision. He couldn't stop the tears from falling. But most importantly he couldn't stop blaming himself. When he felt Archie's small hand tug against the bottom hem of his tunic he bent down, unhesitating to scoop Loki up into his arms once more. It tore him apart to see Loki's head fall limply back, his throat exposed. Thor swallowed, and, with gentle ease raised Loki's head back up so that it rested against his shoulder.

"Goodnight, brother." He remembered all the times he had said that to Loki before, when they were children and when Loki was imprisoned in Asgard. _Goodnight, brother…_

And when Thor bent down to kiss Loki one last, one final time his lips felt warm. Thor didn't ponder on it, instead he motioned for Archie to step forward, and, taking the blanket cover from him he wrapped Loki's body thoroughly before lowering him gingerly, brokenly, down into the earth. He found that he couldn't stop shaking, and so Archie picked up the shovel and began to cover the hole back up again.

Thor turned away, falling to his knees and staring numbly at the stars.

Silently, he cursed all the beings in the universe that allowed this to happen.

* * *

"Are you sure you're all right son?"

Archie whispered, sitting next to Thor in the small living room before the fire. The temperature on Midgard had dropped to a chill, and Thor had barely noticed the drastic changing of the seasons. How long had they been gone? Time did pass differently; it seemed faster on Asgard, slower on Earth. Thor stared absently at the glass of cold milk in his hands. The white liquid chilled his palms and of course milk didn't numb the pain like wine, but Thor didn't complain and instead decided to drink the whole glass in a single gulp. He didn't respond to Archie, who was watching him carefully. The only sound was the crackling of the fire, the ticking of the antique clock.

The time though, was wrong. Distantly the wind rattled the windowpanes. Thor could feel the arrival of a storm, although it seemed to be caused by heat, _energy_. He stared unseeing into the flames.

"How do you cope?" Thor questioned after a while, voice harsh and for a moment following he thought Archie had dozed off in his overstuffed armchair. When he answered Thor nearly jumped.

"Because they would've wanted me too." It was a simple answer. And one that only made Thor sink further into his repressed state of mind.

* * *

Archie made Thor breakfast every morning.

The thunderer wouldn't eat otherwise. Lunch was different of course, because Archie usually became too absorbed in his harvesting before winter struck and Thor was busy helping him that they both easily lost track of time and didn't eat. Thor didn't talk much. Archie understood, and although it had only been three days he began to grow slightly worried.

So he made Thor cook dinner with him. He taught the god how to chuck corn, how to boil eggs, cut up vegetables, and stir a stew. It was usually during times like these, when they cooked together, that the bags under Thor's eyes didn't look so dark, and the pallor of his countenance didn't seem as pale. They always sat together, either in the living room or kitchen, and sometimes Archie would play Thor a gentle tune on his old harmonica after they had finished apple cobbler for dessert.

Thor didn't sleep in the room he and Loki had last time. Instead he opted for sleeping in Archie's armchair, and even though the old man protested at first he couldn't very well use manpower to move a god.

Every night, at about midnight, Thor would leave and come back hours later, downcast, broken, and he would collapse in front of the burnt out fire with a shudder and sob. Archie didn't bother him during these times. The old man could tell by the dirt dusting his knees and the palms of his hands where he had been.

* * *

When the first couple of snowflakes began to fall Thor sat by the chilled windowpanes and watched with childish wonder as they fell.

"It's beautiful." He whispered, fingertips resting against the glass. He never had the time to appreciate it before, but now he felt that he could. The heat of his hand created a misty impression of his hand, and Archie sat beside him with a warm cup of tea and a wilting smile.

"Sure is. Good thing we picked the last of that corn. No more harvestin' for a while. Not in this weather." Thor's chest felt tight, and he watched as the white, frozen droplets danced and twirled from the cloudy sky.

Loki would have looked beautiful in the snow.

Thor remembered his dark hair and lashes and how the snow in Jotenheim had clung to them in a strikingly wonderful contrast. His eyes were brighter than ever then. Biting his lip Thor turned away from the window. He had stayed with Archie four days now. He would leave tomorrow, no matter how much he wished to stay. But Frigga needed him, and so did Asgard.

"This is my last night." Thor commented, and blue eyes glanced a chance at Archie. The old man nodded.

"But you'll visit." He whispered smiling gently and taking a slow sip of tea. Thor returned his attention to the frosting world before him, and he felt a smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

"Of course."

* * *

The food that night tasted even warmer with the cold air outside.

Thor ate slowly, he was in no rush. The wind was howling, nasty and whereas the snow had stopped its fall about an hour ago the wind had decided to take its place. Thor stood, taking both his and Archie's finished plate and returned them to the sink so they could be washed.

"Keep the water runnin' for a while." Archie said, old eyes staring at the smooth wood of the tabletop. "It'll stop the pipes from freezin'." Thor nodded and turned on the water. He looked out the window above the sink, trying to see the moon but being unable to because of the clouds. And that's when a simple notion of movement caught his eye. It was a staggering sort, a ruffle of white and a small speck of green.

Curious, he leaned more fully over the sink, trying to see clearly out the window. Whatever it was that had made any sort of move had disappeared, and Thor felt a slight chill go down his spine. It was eerie, the air, and as he moved to take his seat across from Archie once more there was a stuttering, weak knock on the door. Archie sighed, smiling at Thor and standing shakily to his feet.

"Carolers. Sometimes the lil' kids like to sing for sweets. See if we have any more caramel in the top drawer." Thor nodded, moving forward to reach the cabinet to retrieve the candies. Just as he had gotten them down Archie opened the door.

And the caramels fell forgotten to the floor.

Because who could care about hardened sweets when _Loki_ was standing, alive and smiling, in the doorway?

* * *

LOKI'D!

:D

Ohmygod, I am _so_ sorry! Ahhhhh, welp. Ya know. God of Mischief, right guys? Right?

Liked it? Hated it? Loved it?

Thank you for reading! (:


	23. Chapter 23

_Disclaimer_||Obviously, I don't own anything. Frankly, I don't want to. Everything Marvel has done with this so far has been perfection.

_A/N_: Personally, I am not very well informed with all of the Sciences of Asgard, and the names, and the traditions, so I improvised.

-Please excuse any grammatical errors.

-Please review, it would make my day!

«This chapter contains graphic material! You have been warned.

* * *

For a moment Thor couldn't breathe.

It felt as though all the air in the world had vanished, had left him tight throated and trembling. His heart was hot, pounding in his ears and he wasn't aware of his body, of how he only stood rooted to the spot. Clearly, this was a hallucination.

A trick.

He had finally fallen so deep into his own grief that he was beginning to see things. His eyes darted to Archie who had stumbled back into his chair; face abnormally pale and mouth set into a thin fine line. So he saw him too.

Either they both shared the same eyes or…or the slender dark haired god standing before him was real. His mouth was dry, his tongue heavy, and he found he had no conscious thought to formulate any words. Loki stepped forward, his footing a little shaky and his green eyes swooped down to Archie, regarding him with unspoken thanks until those emerald orbs fell upon Thor once again.

"My gods, have you ever looked so shaken?" And light steps followed that sultry voice until Loki stood mere inches away from Thor's stilled body. Loki smiled warily up at the thunderer, reaching out a hand to slowly cup Thor's cheek. The warmth of Loki's hand seemed to jostle something in Thor, seemed to light him with a spark of renewed fire and before Thor could think again his arms were around Loki's thin waist, were pulling the younger god flush against him, and had crushed his mouth desperately, demandingly, hopelessly against Loki's.

Loki's lips were cold but Thor's lips quickly warmed them, and Loki's hands had begun to tangle themselves into Thor's hair, had begun to pull Thor closer, fuller against his lithe body, and Thor couldn't get enough, couldn't feel enough, and in a throw of disoriented passion he lifted Loki up, who let out a surprised gasp before the trickster wrapped his long legs about Thor's waist and Thor couldn't believe it, couldn't believe Loki was here, in his arms, holding him, awakening him, reviving him-

"By god son! How the hell do you have so much energy? You just crawled out of a grave!" Loki pulled back, smiling fully against Thor's lips before his green eyes shifted sheepishly over to Archie.

"Ah, well, I suppose-" Loki felt light in Thor's grip, lighter than he had before, and when Thor's mind finally cleared, finally snapped awake again, he noticed the thick layer of dirt covering Loki's figure, and although he was soaked in grime and stone Loki seemed absolutely radiant. His skin was healthy, the flush in his cheeks a light rosy pink, the vibrant green of his eyes piercing, and his skin almost appeared to glow in his fresh stage.

"You were dead…" Thor whispered, voice hoarse and gently he lowered Loki down, the long legs reluctantly letting go of Thor's waist. Loki's feet touched the ground gracefully, and although Thor had put some distance between them Loki's grip around his neck still remained. Loki nodded, eyes fluttering and Thor felt his heart clench tight. He cursed the tears stinging his eyes, cursed himself even more when one escaped. Without any hesitation Loki wiped the small droplet softly away with the side of his thumb.

"Not completely." Loki replied, voice strong and unwavering. It dripped like honey from his silver tongue, fluttered to Thor's ears with a velvety grace. Thor hadn't realized how much he had missed that voice. "It was a healing trance. I had to shut my body down so that the poison wouldn't reach my heart. I had enough of my powers left to drain the poison from me. It took me longer than I thought to wake up again, and once I did it was quite a task to untangle myself from that cloth you wrapped me in, it was infuriatingly difficult-"

"What poison?" Thor urged, panic and dread sinking like stones in the pit of his stomach. Loki's eyes widened, tongue coming out to lick absentmindedly at red lips.

"You are unaware? I was certain that you had been able to figure it out." Thor gripped Loki harshly, nails digging into the fair skin of Loki's shoulders. The simple burial tunic he wore barely covered much, and the blanket he had been buried in fell heavily to the floor from Thor's sudden movement.

"Someone poisoned you?" Thor couldn't help the fury that crept into his voice, the demanding feral rage. "Someone caused your funeral? Loki, tell me, who?" Thor was near shouting now, and Loki looked slightly taken aback, eyes widening minutely as he took in Thor's angered countenance.

"Hestia. She poisoned me out of jealousy. She…she is infatuated with you." It took Thor a moment to process this, but when he did he wasn't clear of his feelings. Hestia? The quiet, kind, gentle healer who had fixed his arm, who had waited patiently with him in the late hours of the night while he was dizzy on mead and worry?

_Hestia_? It didn't seem to add up. None of this did, and Thor found that he was trembling, loosing his balance, and he fell heavily upon Loki. Loki's arms came up and held Thor to him, Thor's lips and nose buried into the bend of his bare neck. The scent of Loki's skin calmed Thor's mind, lavender and snow, and Thor felt his arms go lax, his harsh grip on Loki loosening.

"Blind…I have been so blind." Thor whispered, lips moving in muffled groans against Loki's flesh. "I should have protected you, I should have never left your side. If not for me than this never would have happened." Thor was surprised when Loki's long fingers circled the sides of his face, pulled his head up so that they were eye to eye. Green clashed dominantly with blue.

"If not for you I would have been dead long ago. Do not blame yourself for events that were out of your hands. Do not do this to yourself." Loki's eyes softened, his hands caressing Thor's cheeks soothingly. "It will drive you mad." His voice was gentle, soft like flurry and Thor couldn't help himself from leaning in and planting another firm kiss to Loki's lips. When he pulled back he couldn't understand how he felt.

"Never do that again." He ordered, words firm and absolute. "Never put me through that again. It was unfair and cruel." Loki gave a twisted grin, one that ranged more of guilt than anything.

"I will admit, it was one of my least favorite tricks to uphold."

"Hestia will be punished."

"Yes. But not tonight. Not now." Loki leaned down, a small kiss to Thor's forehead here, a simple, lingering one there. "Let us have this night." Thor nodded, eyes falling closed as he wrapped his arms around Loki's waist again, pulling the younger god into a soul touching embrace.

Both gods didn't notice Archie coming up, and Loki jumped as he felt the old hand on his shoulder. He turned his head slightly to the left. Archie was smiling gently at him, eyes moist but no tears falling. He nodded, softly, admiringly, before chuckling lightly to himself.

"Let's get you cleaned up, boy. You're filthy."

* * *

"You'll catch a chill, sitting out there."

Loki turned his head down from gazing at the stars to watch in amusement as Thor struggled to fit his bulky frame through the small opened window leading to the roof. There was still a light dusting of snow, and with a slight level of appreciation Loki realized that the snow wasn't cold to him.

Or, not as cold. It still held a simple chill, but nothing unbearable, and when Thor sat beside him and pulled his still wet body against his warm chest he couldn't help but let out a sigh of content. Together, they sat on the roof; their bare feet dangling over the edge, watching the stars glow and shared in silence their appreciation of each other's warmth. It was only when Loki noticed the shiver of Thor's arms, or the redness of his nose, that he suggested they return back inside.

Loki's hair was still wet and he ran his used towel through it again once they were situated back in their old room. The small beds had been pushed together, and both Thor and Loki stared at the now conjoined beds quietly before realizing that along with a bigger bed Archie had also left them a pair of dry clothes. Thor closed the window and Loki did feel a slight chill, so he quickly discarded the burial robes and slipped into the warm what Thor had said were pajamas.

His bottoms were long and a light striped blue, his shirt loose and black, and Loki gave Thor a small kiss before turning to walk out of the room. Thor's hand grasped Loki by his wrist, pulling the darker haired god back.

"Where are you going?" Thor questioned, concern written in every line of his face, and Loki felt his shoulders slump as another wave of guilt washed like ice over him.

"To bid Archie goodnight, but…" And he stretched himself up, arms wrapping slowly about Thor's neck. Thor placed his hands on Loki's hips; the thunderer's touch warm and Loki could feel the heat of Thor's skin through the fabric of his shirt. "I will stay if you so desire."

"I just got you back." Thor whispered, grip tightening as he lowered his head, watching as Loki's eyelids fluttered in a silent invitation. "I'm not bent on letting you leave so soon." The kiss this time was deep but gentle. It started slow and steadily took on heat as Loki pressed himself closer, as Thor pulled him in tighter, as their breaths were warm and mingling in the chilled air around them.

Loki breathed into Thor's mouth, each breaking of a kiss sounding like a wanting gasp, and maybe it was, because the places Thor's hands were resting seemed to be on fire, seemed to be burning, and Loki let his mouth slip pleasantly open. The kiss turned into all teeth and tongue and Loki found himself up against the door, the wood slamming shut against the force and absently he wondered if Archie was asleep or not. Thor had pressed himself in, nudged himself so impossibly close that Loki was forced to resume the position he had taken earlier in the kitchen, with his legs about Thor's waist. The door offered nice support and Loki couldn't help but moan against Thor's lips, against the hot, wet warmth of the thunderer's tongue. Every nerve of Loki's body seemed to be singing with want, and his cock twitched with growing arousal. He broke away from the kiss first, his head falling back against the wood behind him.

With his neck exposed Thor wasted no time in planting hot, open-mouthed kisses on the exposed skin, and Loki had to muffle his sharp cry of surprise with the back of his hand. Thor licked the remaining shower water away, and Loki's skin tasted of fresh snow with a small tang of soap. But then there was a flavor hidden there that was all Loki and Thor couldn't help the small groan when he discovered it.

"T-Thor…I believe that we would be more comfortable-_aaah_-on the bed…!" Loki's sentence trailed off with a sharp intake of breath as Thor bit down, possessively, demandingly on Loki's collarbone. Thor had begun to suck which made Loki squirm against him, his heels digging almost painfully into Thor's lower back. Loki's fingers knotted themselves in Thor's hair, tugging at the roots, and when Thor pulled away he grinned satisfied at the swirling red mark on Loki's otherwise flawless skin.

"I've marked you mine." Thor growled, voice heavy with desire and his lips trailed up Loki's jaw, small kisses against high cheekbones. Loki's breaths were growing slightly heavier, his cheeks more flushed, and Thor could feel the trickster's own want press eagerly against his.

"I was always yours." Loki purred, hands tugging Thor's head up sharply into another bruising kiss. Thor couldn't help the way his hips seemed to roll forward, grind into Loki's own and both gods marveled at the wonderful friction that caused. Loki's breaths were heightened and hot against Thor's ear, and his tongue slowly began to trace the outlines of Thor's ear. Thor shuddered, grip on Loki tightening and he rocked forward again, their clothed erections aligning wonderfully and _oh god_! Everything felt deliciously hot, burning, coiling in the pit of their stomachs and their hardened cocks. Suddenly all of these clothes were a nuisance, they were too much.

Vaguely remembering Loki's request from earlier Thor hauled them both over to the now joined beds, and, distantly, he wondered if Archie had planned for this. He flung himself down on the mattress, Loki straddling his waist from above, and their kiss only broke for a moment before resuming heatedly once more. Loki's hands flattened themselves against Thor's broad chest, sliding down under the hem of his shirt to feel the firm muscles beneath. Loki's hands left a trail of fiery warmth against Thor's skin, and his muscles seemed to twitch beneath Loki's burning touch.

Loki dipped his head down, tongue tracing the contours of Thor's neck, the exposed skin of his shoulder, before with an impatient growl Thor had reversed their positions, flipped them over so now Loki lay flushed and aroused beneath him.

"I like it like this." Thor whispered, voice even lower than before as he tugged the black shirt up and off of Loki's being. Loki mimicked his actions and immediately pressed their now bare chests together, skin against skin and Loki writhed beneath him at the onslaught of feelings. Thor let his large hands skim Loki's sides, noticing how his fingers traced over the subtle outline of Loki's ribs.

He really had lost weight.

Thor let his thumb slide experimentally over one of Loki's nipples, watching with a lustful gleam as Loki's breath hitched, as that lithe body shivered beneath him. Loki raised his hips up as Thor repeated the action, and Thor's head fell down against Loki's throat as their erections rolled against one another again.

"Thor, now…I need you now." Loki's voice was just as dark as Thor's although it held a deeper tone that made Thor shiver deliciously. Thor nodded, planting one last kiss to Loki's skin before pulling back so they both could hurriedly discard their trousers. The forgotten clothes fell to the floor in a small heap at the ends of the room and Thor pulled back to study Loki's features properly. His eyes were blown back, lips bruised and cheeks flushed deep. His hair was dark and splayed about his head on the mattress like ink. His muscles seemed to be tensed in apprehension, and when his tongue came out to lick absently at Thor's drying lips the thunderer could barely contain himself any longer.

"We have no oil." Thor remembered, the cool air helping to clear his lust driven mind and Loki all but growled, grabbing Thor's hand and raising it to his face.

"We will have to improvise." And Thor watched with stunned consuming want as Loki took his fore and middle fingers and slid them sensually into his mouth. Loki scratched his teeth along the blunt digits, enjoying the full body shudder that rattled Thor's body against him; enjoyed it even more as ragged breath ghosted along his shoulder as he tongued the tender skin between Thor's knuckles. Thor could feel his cock throbbing with unaddressed attention and he rolled his bare hips against Loki's, relishing as Loki's primal moan vibrated along his fingers. In hindsight Thor couldn't take much more with this. He pulled his fingers from Loki's mouth with a small pop, and, placing his left hand against Loki's inner thigh silently indicating for Loki to spread his legs.

Loki did immediately, hands knotting themselves blindly in the covers beneath him as Thor inserted the first finger. It didn't necessarily hurt, not as much as the first time, but there was still a slight burn as his body tried to resist the intrusion. When Thor leaned up and planted a soft kiss to Loki's parted mouth he all but melted, and Thor was able to stick inside a second finger.

It was only when Loki was gasping and writhing beneath him that Thor pulled his fingers out, and hurriedly covered his burning cock with a thin layer of saliva. Loki's eyes were burning and although he offered Thor knew he wouldn't be able to hold on if Loki performed to his cock the same treatment he had upon his fingers. He began to push himself inside, watching as Loki's fingers knotted into the sheets so tightly that his knuckles turned white. Thor planting caring kisses against Loki's sweat shined neck, and when he pushed himself in completely he covered Loki's cry with his lips.

The kiss was sloppy, and was mainly there to prevent waking Archie, although they hadn't been very quiet and the house had, so the old man was most likely still awake…Thor tried not to linger on that thought. Thor waited for Loki to nod, and when he did he pulled back nearly all the way and rammed steadily back in. Loki's head flew back, a wild gasp escaping his lips as Thor hit something in him, something wonderfully pleasurable. His toes curled and his vision buzzed white, and when Thor hit it again he couldn't help the loud moan that erupted from him. Thor gazed down at Loki in wonder, marveling at his beauty before picking up his speed, increasing the rhythm, and although it was becoming erratic, both gods nearing the edge with the onslaught of blissful, overwhelming heat, Loki met his thrusts truthfully.

Every roll of the hips Thor kept hitting that spot inside Loki, over and over until Loki felt he could no longer take it. His nails scraped against the broad width of Thor's shoulders, causing the thunderer to growl and the bed shake. They were both so close, so very close, and Loki brushed his lips against Thor's ear, and tilting his head slightly, he whispered softly, almost self consciously:

"I love you."

It was enough to bring them both tumbling over, and as Loki came he bit down hard against Thor's collarbone-marking him as well. As they lay in the sticky aftermath, Thor lying limp against Loki's heaving chest, snow had begun to fall. It was white and big and twirled from the darkened sky to land softly against the chilled windowpanes. Loki watched it with calming breaths as he absently played with strands of Thor's sweaty hair.

"I suppose my shower before this was pointless." Loki whispered, feeling the soft vibrations of Thor's laugh against his neck.

"Mm, indeed." Thor rumbled, hold around Loki tightening. They were both so hot but they refused to release their hold on each other, and the air around them sent contrasting goose bumps to rise upon their skin.

"I missed you." Thor whispered, and Loki's eyes fluttered closed, grip on Thor pressing protectively.

"And I you." Loki's voice had grown hoarse, and Thor was silent as Loki drifted off, deep into the blissful darkness that usually followed. Thor rose slightly up, balancing himself over Loki's sleeping form. A smile tugged at the corners of his lips and lightly he traced the curve of Loki's sharp cheekbones.

"I love you as well." Thor whispered, and Loki smiled, in his sleep or not Thor was unsure, but he pressed a soft, admiring kiss to Loki's limp lips. This time they were wonderfully warm.

Loki was wonderfully alive.

And everything was _wonderfully_ perfect.

* * *

I had to give you guys a smutty chapter. It's been a while! I miss the snow…

Next chapter will have a bit more than action than just smut. DUN DUN DUUUN.

Liked it? Hated it? Loved it?

Thank you for reading! (:


	24. Chapter 24

_Disclaimer_||Obviously, I don't own anything. Frankly, I don't want to. Everything Marvel has done with this so far has been perfection.

_A/N_: Personally, I am not very well informed with all of the Sciences of Asgard, and the names, and the traditions, so I improvised.

-Please excuse any grammatical errors.

-Please review, it would make my day!

* * *

Thor awoke when it was still dark.

His eyes went to Loki immediately, who was curled up against his bare chest, and Thor was slightly surprised when an emerald gaze met his warmly.

Thor could barely make out Loki's features in the dark, small room, but he reached out anyway and managed to rest his palm lovingly against Loki's right cheek.

"Do you see the snow?" Loki whispered, voice heavy with sleep and pleasantries, and Thor followed Loki's gaze to the window on the other side of the room. White flurries were still dancing down, twirling on the gentle breeze against the dark sky. The air around them was cool which made the covers all the more comforting.

"I was not aware this much ice could befall Midgard." Thor mused, voice rumbling and Loki lent his head on Thor's shoulder, relishing in the warmth of the thunderer's skin.

"I would like to go outside." Loki purred, lips brushing heat against Thor's skin as he talked. Thor regarded Loki's words, thoughtfully, tiredly, and he gave a muffled sigh as he relaxed deeper into the pale mattress beneath them.

"It is the middle of the night, Loki." Thor reasoned, blue eyes shimmering. His words were disapproving but there was a playful mirth beneath them, a tone that made Loki grin and his eyes flash.

"I want to see the snow." Loki urged, scooting closer to Thor, eyes pleading. "I will go with or without you." He added, taking note of Thor's sudden hesitation. "And I would prefer the latter." Thor felt the grin snaking its way gently across his features, and he tilted his head down to plant a chaste kiss to Loki's soft lips.

"You have not lost your power of speech, I see." Thor said, although as he spoke Loki rose out of his arms and to the side of the bed. The moon made his skin glow, and Thor watched with a heated gaze as Loki fumbled about for the discarded pajamas that were scattered about the floor.

"Stop spying me and get dressed!" Loki hissed, throwing Thor's own bundle of clothes at him. The fabric hit the thunderer in the face, and he gave an annoyed glare as Loki slid over to the door.

"Hurry, Thor! Before the sun comes up!" Thor tugged his own shirt roughly over his head, cursed as he stubbed his toe while pulling on his pants.

"You are like a child." He muttered, but Loki only grinned and grasped him around his wrist, fingers cool against Thor's heated skin, and Loki pulled the thunderer with him down the creaky steps. They tried to be silent, they really did, but Thor was naturally loud and Loki reprimanded him on instinct, so by the time they exited the house Archie was stirring because of their arguing and Thor's heavy steps.

Thor watched Loki's face change, melt into one of frustration into one of childish glee. When he caught Thor staring he quickly masked it, but his lips still held a faint smile. Without hesitation Loki stepped down onto the ground, feet sinking into the ice-cold inch of snow.

The flurries still twirled down, landed lightly in Loki's dark hair, made green eyes burn brighter. The rare beauty Loki showed, his features standing so naturally against the winter-blanketed world, struck Thor.

Thor couldn't keep the smile from his face as Loki tried to catch snowflakes on his tongue, tried to pack the snow-

It hit Thor in the nose.

A ball made of snow and he jolted back, startled, as his skin tingled beneath the coldness of it. Loki was grinning broadly, nose and cheeks flushed and another compacted ball of snow in his hands. Thor rushed forward, earning another snowy hit to the face before his arms encircled Loki's waist and hauled him up, laughing and kicking into the air.

When he placed Loki down again the younger god leaned up and planted a chilled kiss to his lips. It was unexpected and cool, but their mouths quickly warmed each other's and Thor's grip on Loki's hips tightened. They both pulled away with warm lips and beaming smiles. Loki's hands came up, thumbs heating Thor's chilled skin beneath his touch. Loki looked thoughtful, eyes distant and Thor kissed him again to bring him back.

"I can't return to Asgard." Loki whispered, eyes imploring as he gazed wistfully up at Thor. It took the thunderer a moment to process what his lover had said, and once he had the snow suddenly felt that much colder.

"Why?" Loki's smile faded completely, a light sadness brushing his eyes.

"I am dead in their eyes Thor. If I return I will still have to pay for my crimes against Midgard. I still killed hundreds of innocent lives. I am still a murderer. Death will no longer be my punishment, but exile would. I would never see you again if that became the case." The words struck Thor's heart like ice, and his grip on Loki turned bruising.

"Loki-"

"I have hid from Heimdall's eyes many a time, it will be only easier now because he will not look for me. Thor," And Loki's hands gripped the sides of Thor's face, urging, pleading… "I will stay here. I will travel the nine realms. I will focus on rebuilding the sides of me I have lost-"

"Then I will stay with you." Loki shook his head slowly, eyes darting up to study Thor's countenance carefully.

"Asgard needs its future king." Thor's hands moved up, grasping Loki's shoulders tightly.

"Are you saying this is it? That we will part ways? That this is the end?" Loki's eyes fell, his hold on Thor loosening. Thor couldn't breathe when Loki shook his head.

"I am not leaving you." Loki murmured, stepping closer so that their bodies were only an inch apart. "I know how to get into Asgard seamlessly. It will be easy to see you, but not everyday." Loki tilted his head, eyes imploring. "Can you accept this?" Thor swallowed gruffly, breath hitching in his throat. Reluctantly he nodded.

"I won't say goodbye to you." He urged, lips brushing against Loki's with each word. "I can't." Loki tilted his head, the tip of his chilled nose brushing against Thor's.

"I'm not asking you to." The kiss was desperate and bittersweet, and their holds on each other were bruising. Their mouths promised to never let each other go. It was ironic then, when crunched footsteps made them separate. Loki stiffened immediately, his hands about Thor loosening in surprise. Thor pushed Loki behind him, shielding him from the sight of the approaching figure.

It was a dark silhouette, and Thor's gaze stared down at Loki helplessly. Loki nodded and, with a muttering of ancient runes and words, he was gone. Thor could still feel his warmth, could still sense his presence, but physically Loki could not be seen. Thor's prideful grin slipped when the figure stepped into the pathway of the moon.

Hestia smiled lovingly up at Thor.

"Good evening, my lord."

* * *

I was enjoying writing about the snow. But then I remembered that Hestia was still slithering about. So I made her ruin everything. Problem?

Liked it? Hated it? Loved it?

Thank you for reading! (:


	25. Chapter 25

_Disclaimer_||Obviously, I don't own anything. Frankly, I don't want to. Everything Marvel has done with this so far has been perfection.

_A/N_: Personally, I am not very well informed with all of the Sciences of Asgard, and the names, and the traditions, so I improvised.

-Please excuse any grammatical errors.

-Please review, it would make my day!

* * *

Hestia was pale.

Her eyes looked sullen, her lips tense, and she regarded Thor with a sympathetic sort of wariness. She wore a dark cloak, one that shielded her from the snow. She smiled softly, eyes longing as she studied Thor's chilled complexion.

"I would never have expected to see you in Midgardian clothes, my Lord." Thor didn't respond, didn't do much of anything. He could feel Loki's presence, hanging back warningly behind him.

But Hestia believed Loki was dead, so Thor made no movement to acknowledge his pressing presence. If possible, the air seemed to get colder.

Thor glanced to Hestia's hands, which were folded properly in front of her. She looked so weak.

So innocent.

The though of her poisoning Loki while he could not defend himself made his skin crawl.

He wanted nothing more than to smash her head in but…Asgardian rule would fall to her as equally as it had to Loki.

"Lady Sif told me you would be residing here." Hestia continued, taking a small step forward. The smile wavered on her face under Thor's intense gaze.

Her eyes darted, embarrassed for a moment.

"How are you?" She asked, voice heavy laced with concern and Thor found his voice to be much colder than he had expected it to be.

"Not well." He answered, and he felt a light touch against his hand. He glanced down and, with stunned muted shock, realized that his hands had been clenched together so tightly he had drawn blood. Red drops fell gracefully onto the snow. Thor felt Loki's caress against his tender flesh, comforting the now stinging skin. Hestia looked on worriedly.

"Do you still mourn?" She whispered, voice almost lost on the chilled breeze. Thor looked away. It felt strange, having a conversation with Loki's murderer. He had to keep himself level headed. Had to approach this delicately.

"I know what you did." Thor snarled, eyes darting down to burn into Hestia once more. She stilled, her hands tightening about themselves as she looked on with wide, frightened eyes.

"What do you mean?" She questioned, voice catching and panic overlying every other feeling she had.

Thor simply stared. He watched as she grew paler, and he tensed as she took a shuddering step forward.

"I did it for you." She pleaded as realization washed like wax over her features. Her hands came up, tangling themselves roughly in Thor's white pajama shirt.

He shrugged out of her grip, her hands falling limply in the air between them.

"Do not touch me." He hissed, focusing on controlling his now labored breaths. They came out like smoke, white and swirling on the air. "You will be taken to Asgard, you will be held before the All Father-"

"I did it for you!" Hestia screeched, tears falling like rain down her cheeks. Her face had contorted into something of pure agony, pure despair and Thor was surprised at her sudden change of countenance.

"For you, do you not see? Loki was poisoning your mind, reeling you along…he wanted nothing more than for you to bend to his biddings! He was a parasite-"

"WATCH HOW YOU SPEAK!" Thor roared, eyes flaring and he felt Loki stir beside him. Hestia jolted, expression crumbling into one of rage.

"He already rules your mind." She snarled, voice deep and cracked and she flung herself forward, arms planted tightly about Thor's neck. He stiffened in shock and was about to push her off, knock her under so she would stop with her mad ramblings, when she crushed her mouth to his.

He was too stunned to move, to react, and as she parted her lips he felt warmth enter him, a devious burn that had him standing frozen.

Her hands tangled in his hair, and she pulled back, smile cutting red across her face.

"There my love. I've cleared your mind. _Is this not simpler_?" She murmured against his lips, their breaths mingling white on the air. She leaned in once more but found herself being ripped back, flying through the air and crashing into the frozen ground.

Snow gathered about her dark cloak and her head snapped up, fury overriding everything she had even known.

And then the shock followed appropriately behind. Loki stood, visible and seething before a dazed Thor. His dark hair was disheveled, his eyes a piercing vermilion in the dark, and for the first time in her life Hestia felt fear. It stabbed her like fire in the heart and for a moment she forgot herself.

"You live…you're alive…"

"You will not touch him again." Loki snapped, a rapid cat amongst the snow. Hestia felt the shock melt away, felt the warmth swirling once again through her veins and she slowly raised herself to her feet. She couldn't help the laugh that bubbled up in her throat that echoed across the chilled expanse of white.

"Does he know?" She spat, eyes darting to Thor. "You truly are cruel." She concluded, stepping forward towards Loki's tense figure. "How did you survive?" She questioned, stopping a couple feet away from the trickster. He simply smiled.

"You're not as strong as you would like to believe." She cocked her head to the side, eyes rolling up to stare at Thor smugly.

"No?" She whispered, and with a pleasant click of her tongue Thor moved. Though not in the way Loki was anticipating.

Thor's fist struck the side of his neck, sent him stumbling to the side, falling deep into the iced snow.

For a moment the blooming, burning pain was all he knew, before he shuffled himself to his feet, eyes wide as he studied Thor.

The thunderer was standing protectively in front of Hestia, whose arms were around Thor's waist possessively. She stood on tiptoe, her mouth brushing the shell of Thor's ear seductively.

"Do you see that worthless god, love? He hurt me." Thor's blue eyes flashed, sparked like the lighting he could control.

"What have you done?" Loki growled, head spinning and neck throbbing. His eyes darted up to Thor's, to plead silently with the thunderer.

Thor remained emotionless in return. Hestia smiled, a slow mocking sneer that sliced across her pale skin like a blade.

Her next words made Loki's heart crack.

"Kill him for me, dear."

His heart shattered when Thor grabbed him around the throat and squeezed.

* * *

If any of you have read my Sherlock Fanfic "NightLock" you can immediately see where this is going to go. I like using this theme. It's exciting!

Liked it? Hated it? Loved it?

Thank you for reading! (:


	26. Chapter 26

_Disclaimer_||Obviously, I don't own anything. Frankly, I don't want to. Everything Marvel has done with this so far has been perfection.

_A/N_: Personally, I am not very well informed with all of the Sciences of Asgard, and the names, and the traditions, so I improvised.

-Please excuse any grammatical errors.

-Please review, it would make my day!

* * *

Loki had always come to the realization that Thor was strong, although he had never truly found himself at the receiving end of one of the thunderer's blows before.

They had trained together yes, but it was always with light jaunting actions that really only created a bruise at most. And Loki found that somewhat ironic as he wiped the blood from his nose.

He looked down on the red against his fingers in numb disbelief. He could feel the liquid brushing the top of his upper lip, staining his skin a light crimson hue.

His eyes darted up as Thor came at him once more. He sidestepped, easy, doppelganger and turn, and he had evaded Thor's blow only to find himself stumbling into yet another one.

"Thor, this is madness! Wake up!" Thor's eyes looked dim, looked hollow, and he didn't respond to Loki's voice, didn't acknowledge the fact that, as his fist came into contact with Loki's jaw, that he was fighting someone who was unwilling to fight back.

The world spun for Loki then, a sharp pain blocking out every other element of feeling left, and his head throbbed and the pain blossomed, and he managed to utter three small words before he had disappeared yet again. The blood dripped off his tongue, slithered out from between his lips and Loki spit the metallic red out onto the snow.

He could see Thor twirling about in distaste; eyes frantic and searching and Loki took this time of invincibility to gaze upon Hestia.

She was focused as well, eyes never leaving Thor, mouth moving with unspoken words.

Loki turned his attention back to Thor. He felt the rage well inside of him at the thunderer being turned into nothing more than a puppet, and he started to Hestia, knowing that he must break her focus, take her eyes away from Thor, because that was how she was controlling him wasn't it?

Through that kiss she had started something, planted something, and with her focus broken…Her eyes darted wide towards him and Loki revealed himself.

He had never punched a woman before. But he hardly considered Hestia that so when his fist came into contact with her stomach, knocking the wind from her and breaking any connection she could have had with Thor, he didn't regret it.

In fact he felt a slight glee at being able to finally react to her properly, and as she stumbled against the snow his green eyes darted up to Thor hopefully.

He was standing stock still in the center of the snow, his toes red and his eyes wide, but he didn't move, not quite yet, and Loki felt the panic rising in his throat.

"You are a fool, liesmith, if you would believe me to be so weak that I can only manage a simple trick with my focus alone." Loki glared down to Hestia, hand shooting out and entangling itself in her hair. She gasped out as his fingers curled around silken locks, pulled her up so that he could clearly see the inhabited fear in her eyes.

"Stop this." He spat, eyes narrowing venomously against the dark. "Are you so far-gone that you cannot see that he does not love you?" Her face twisted then, contorted into something filled with rage and horrified understanding.

"He does love me. He does. You're just in the way, you're just pulling a blanket over his eyes–" A harsh blow to the back of her head shut her up and she crumbled pathetically to the ground by Loki's bare feet. He sniffed in disgust, turning to look up at Thor.

The thunderer blinked, once, twice, before his eyes darted down to Hestia and back up to Loki once more. Loki felt everything around him freeze when he noticed the anger in Thor's eyes.

"You still mean to hurt her?" Thor roared, rushing up and taking Loki roughly by the throat. His grip was intense, suffocating, and last time Loki only had to utter a few choice words to escape his lover's frightfully strong grip.

Of course when he couldn't say anything except a slight gasp of loosing air he couldn't free himself. He writhed in Thor's grip, nails digging into the skin of Thor's wrists. He tried to communicate with his eyes, tried desperately to tell Thor that this wasn't right, that his mind wasn't his own, but when black began to dance hazardly in the corners of his eyes he could feel his grip loosening on Thor, his eyes fluttering closed.

He was startled beyond belief when a dull 'clang' echoed about the air and Thor's grip on him fell away completely. Loki fell to the ground, coughing, wheezing, the tears that fell from his eyes were all his body's immediate instinct.

He couldn't get the air into his lungs fast enough, his lungs stinging tightly against the onslaught of fresh air.

Thor crumbled to the snow before him, groaning into the ice, eyes shut tight and jaw tensed. Loki's gaze darted up and he nearly laughed at the sight before him.

Archie stood in his striped pajamas, shirt too big for his lanky figure, and in his shaking grip he held a metal skillet. Archie swallowed, nodded, and let the pan dangle at his side. He regarded Loki as a mother might regard her child that had eaten all the cookies before dinner.

"What happened now, son?"

* * *

"So what're you goin' do with her?" Archie questioned, head gesturing to the limp body of Hestia on the couch. Loki didn't say much of anything, taking the packet of ice Archie had given him away from his swelling jaw.

"Thor return her back to Asgard and she will face Asgardian law." Loki said this numbly, eyes cold as he regarded Hestia's face. There was a slight smear of blood in the corners of her lips, and he glanced down warily at his hands. He had done that. Although he didn't regret it.

"And Thor? He gonna be alright?" Loki swallowed thickly, returning the ice to his bruised skin.

"I am uncertain." Loki muttered after a while, staring at Thor's crumbled body sitting on the floor beside him. Loki reached up and adjusted the bundle of ice on Thor's head, noting how Thor leant slightly into his touch. That small detail gave him some hope. "Will he awaken soon?"

"Aw, any minute now. I didn't hit 'em too bad." Archie finished with a shrug, sipped his newly brewed tea thoughtfully. Loki let his fingers trace down the turn of Thor's cheek, the hair of his beard. He smiled gently. His gaze dropped down to Thor's hands, and he took Thor's right one in both of his, trying to warm the chilled skin in his (hopefully) hotter hold.

It was an hour later before Thor's eyes fluttered, and the sun was already up above the trees, glistening orange and pink light against the white ground. Loki reacted immediately, kneeling before Thor and calling Archie to attention from where he was seated in the kitchen. Thor's eyes fluttered, the crystal blue Loki loved so much showing their color to the living room.

It took Thor a moment to process Loki's face, his hands against his own, but once he did his face twisted into one of pure regret. He freed his left hand from Loki's fingers, reached up and gently touched the puffed skin of Loki's jaw, his bloodied nose and scratched lip.

"Oh, Loki…forgive me. I had no idea of my actions, no idea what I was–" Loki placed his finger against Thor's lips, silencing the thunderer's stream of apologies.

"I know." Loki whispered, leaning in to press a loving, patient kiss to Thor's lips. "All is forgiven on your part." Thor's eyebrows crunched together, guilt written into every line on his handsome face.

"I have still hurt you." Loki shook his head, eyes solemn as his gaze flickered to the stirring Hestia.

"Not you. Her." Thor followed his gaze, eyes darkening as he spotted Hestia's flaccid form.

"She will have to serve many years." Thor concluded, standing and pulling Loki up with him. His blue gaze followed down, hands coming up and cupping Loki's cheeks.

"I will return as soon as everything is cleared." Loki nodded, a soft grin playing against his features.

"Be swift." He assured, sighing softly as Thor's lips touched his deeply once more. When they pulled back Thor nodded, turning to Archie and smiling warmly. He then proceeded to retrieve Mjolnir and his armor upstairs, and, coming down he shook Hestia roughly before pulling her to her feet.

She staggered, her head bowed and as she followed Thor out the door in the kitchen her eyes met Loki's one final time. Hey gaze held nothing but shame.

Thor took them outside in the rising sun, held up Mjolnir and allowed both him and Hestia to be obscured by the most thunderous of lights. Blue eyes met green. A simple smile, a nod, and a crack of electricity and Thor and Hestia were gone, melted snow residing in their place.

Loki watched the barren spot for a while before returning back into the kitchen, sitting himself down at the small table.

Archie sat down beside him, harmonica long and sleek between his old fingers.

"How long you gonna stay this time, son?" He asked, and Loki turned his gaze to stare thoughtfully out the window. It had started snowing again.

"As long as I can." He responded, smiling wistfully. Archie nodded, taking in Loki's frostbitten toes. He shook his head, clicked his tongue, and stood, pouring Loki a glass of milk and warming it in a small pan above the stove. When he handed the warmed liquid to Loki the trickster took it without hesitation, enjoying the way it heated his chilled fingers and relaxed his mind.

As Loki thawed Archie began to play his harmonica, the high, light notes ringing softly throughout the quiet farmhouse. Loki let himself relax back against the chair, eyes slipping closed as he listened to Archie's music. Distantly, the snow danced.

* * *

Thor had been gone for two days.

In that span of time Archie had been teaching Loki how to bake cookies (four eggs, not three, no Loki, you can't use magic to heat the butter, it'll taste funny, stop trying to heat the cookies with spells, it's a lot more meaningful if you just _wait_ the eight minutes for them to cook…).

Loki was beginning to grasp the concept, although as he watched the dough rise in the oven and gradually turn a light golden brown he failed to see the point in waiting for so long when you could just snap your fingers and then they'd be done.

But Archie had insisted and Loki had listened, and the old man was quite pleased with himself when their fifth batch came out good. No weird magic side effects, no frosting that turns into snakes, nothing but simple nice cookies with delicate white frosting. Loki had to admit that they did taste better.

Archie had announced that today was Christmas. Four days later after Thor's departure. Loki had never heard of a holiday like that before.

Archie didn't have enough money for a tree. But he did hang up ribbons and mistletoe, and put on a nice old tape of Midgardian Christmas songs.

They were sitting in the living room before the fire, listening to _"The Little Drummer Boy",_ which Loki liked the best, as they head a quiet crackling and a distant thump from outside. Loki jumped up, forgetting his tea and cookies and raced to the door in the kitchen, flung it open and stood, smiling, at a fast approaching Thor.

The thunderer was walking up to the small farmhouse, grinning broadly and when he held open his arms Loki didn't hesitate to rush into them.

"Took you long enough." Loki reprimanded, although his tone was softer than he had meant for it to be and Thor simply laughed, gazing at Loki with open fondness.

"It was a messy affair. Hestia is held for sixty years beneath Asgard. After that I am unsure about what will happen to her." Thor's hands came up, cupping Loki's face delicately in his hold.

"I have missed you." He confessed, lips brushing against Loki's with every word.

"And I you." Loki concluded, arms wrapping about Thor's neck to pull him into a deep, excited kiss. When they pulled away the smiles were still evident on their lips, and Thor tilted his head, pondering.

"You do realize that all of this, our being together, came from your pride?" And Loki was caught slightly off guard, eyes narrowing under Thor's accusation.

"_My_ pride? Thor, you were the one who never left. All this comes from you…" And Loki leaned up to plant a firm kiss to Thor's lips. "…And _your_ sick pride." Thor bent down to kiss Loki once more, their lips moving with familiarity and vigor, and Loki sighed into the kiss, lips parting to breathe Thor in completely.

"Promise me we will have quiet now." He sighed, green eyes bearing deep into Thor's blue, his lips murmuring against Thor's with every word. The thunderer laughed, a deep throaty chuckle, before his hands caressed down and rested firmly on Loki's hips.

"I thought you liked a little chaos." Loki scoffed, eyes dancing, and he shook his head slightly.

"I have had my fill for the moment." And Thor nodded his consent.

"Quiet sounds good." And he leaned in to kiss Loki once more, beneath the mistletoe hanging gently above their heads. And around them the snow fell, and as they joined each other fully in their room later that evening the whole world seemed to pass by in a beautiful, heavenly, blur.

**¶END **

* * *

I want to thank everyone for reading this story and reviewing. This is the longest fanfiction I've written, well, the one with this many chapters anyway. I am so grateful to everyone, really I am, you all have been fantastic, heartwarming readers, and I dedicate this story to you. :)

Liked it? Hated it? Loved it?

Thank you for reading! (:


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